A Place in England
by kie-san
Summary: An orphanage, a young detective, and a brother and sister. Story of how Near got to the orphanage, how he met L, and of his sister and her relationship to L. canon with MAJOR spoilers. set a few years before Death Note. reviews welcome, naturally :D.
1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

"But where are we supposed to go?" she asked, frowning at the man seated in front of her.

He took his time shuffling papers, as if reading them, then glanced up at her with a shrug of his shoulders, "Your father's friend has agreed to take you in."

"What?" she said, the creases of her frown deepening. "Do we know this man?"

"His name is Quillish Wammy," he replied breezily, "He founded several orphanages around Europe and other places of the world."

She visibly bristled as her hold of the small child in her arms stiffened, "An orphanage? We're…" She felt a sudden panic of realization well within her, and in a daze she looked down at her little brother. He looked back up at her, his black eyes gazing inquisitively as he sucked on his pacifier.

Her mother and father were dead.

"We're orphans…" she finally muttered, her voice cracking, a tear falling on the child's head as she hugged him. The social worker was watching her, an empathetic expression finally on his face. He sighed heavily, gathering the papers and dropping them into his briefcase.

"Well," he said, getting up, "You should pack your things. Take only what you need. We'll be going to the orphanage tomorrow. If things look well, then…" He didn't finish. She was crying softly into her little brother's hair, and he knew she had stopped listening.

"Come on," he said softly, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You need rest." She stood up abruptly, shifting the child's weight in her arms. Without a word, she walked out of the room, up the stairs, and into the room she shared with her brother, leaving the social worker behind as she shut the door.

She set him on the bed, then slumped down beside him. She was still wiping the tears from her face, unable to stop the dread on her shoulders from squeezing them out. The little boy watched her, his big eyes even wider with her show of emotion. He crawled closer to her, then reached up and touched her wet cheek with his tiny hand.

Her eyes snapped open, looking at the child in surprise. He kept smearing her tears on the palm of his hand, never taking his dark eyes from hers. She watched him, unsure of what to do, when he finally wiped his hand clumsily on the sheets. He stilled, looking up at her, staring as if waiting for something.

She blinked and he pulled the pacifier out of his mouth, holding it up to her with a drooling smile. She didn't do anything, watching as he waved it in front of her face, making small noises.

"Lala… la…" he gurgled. Her eyes began to water once more. She picked him up, kissed him on the forehead, then hugged him gently as she kept kissing the top of his head. He continued to make little gurgling sounds, but soon he was smiling up at her and patting her shoulders happily.

"We'll be alright," she sighed as she looked down at him. "We'll be alright…" He gave a small squeal of delight in response.

-

"I'm sorry to hear about your father," Mr. Roger said with a kind smile. She nodded a small thanks, and the old man placed his bifocals on his face, looking down at the papers on his desk.

"Lara River…" he said, reading the birth certificate. "Born 1987." He looked up at her, "You're 13 years old?" She nodded the positive. He looked down once again. "And… Nate River, he's only six months old?" She nodded once again. The elderly man looked down at the little boy, who was staring back up at him with large black eyes which were partially hidden by a soft layer of white hair.

"He has a very unusual hair color," he smiled.

Lara shrugged, "He's always been like this; it's just the way he is."

The man nodded in understanding as he checked his papers once more, "Your father was a good friend of the founder of this orphanage. His death is among life's tragedies, I'm afraid." He looked up at her. "And your mother?"

"She died shortly after giving birth to Nate," Lara replied. "Father was never quite… the same afterwards."

The old man nodded sadly, then gathered the papers into a neat pile, "Well, Lara, we'd be happy to have you here, but…"

Her head perked up in alarm. "But what?" she echoed. If they weren't able to stay here, she didn't know where they would end up.

He smiled kindly, "Would you mind if we gave little Nate a few tests?"

Her eyes narrowed, "What kind of tests?"

His smile never faltered, "Intelligence tests."

-

She sighed softly, her eyes wide in the half light of their room. Nate was sleeping peacefully at her side, curled up into a little ball. She watched his tiny body rise and fall slightly with his breaths, then smiled as she twirled a piece of his fine hair in her hand.

"Near…" she breathed. What a strange name. This place was not… ordinary. Not at all.

L… she wondered if she would ever meet him. She turned, looking out of the window on her left. Because of Nate's high intelligence for his age, and the discovered potential he had for being a genius, they were able to stay at the Wammy House. She was told he could become a famous detective one day…

She looked back at her little brother.

She didn't care what they thought. Nate could become whatever he wanted, but at least for now they had a roof over their heads.

L…

Near…

Honestly now, what a strange name.

**Notes:** Well, there's the prologue. This fic was written on a whimsy, mostly because I really, _really_, like L, and I have a general idea of the direction, but who knows where it'll end up. All I know is that I think I'm gonna enjoy this...

Chapter 1 will be up soon. Really, it will. You should stick around. Yup.

In any case, please leave a review. Any feedback at all would be beyond lovely, I'd really appreciate it. :)


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

"At this point many of the children are too young to make any significant predictions," Mr. Roger smiled. "Still, many of them show incredible potential, it'll be a pleasure to introduce you to them."

The dark haired teen sitting curled on the chair before him gave a small smile, "I'm looking forward to it, although I have never spent much time with children before."

"There's nothing to know, really," the old man chuckled, "A bit of kindness and good humor goes a long way."

"Mr. Roger would definitely know," the young man nodded.

"Well," Mr. Roger said, standing from his seat, "Shall we move along then?"

The teen nodded, then slid out of his chair. His horrible posture became apparent as he stuffed his hands into his jean pockets. He walked to the door where Mr. Roger was waiting, and the old man couldn't help chuckling at his guest's rather strange appearance.

"By the way, Master L," Mr. Roger said, his hand on the doorknob, "By what name will you be going by?"

The young man rolled his eyes upward, considering the question briefly, before answering aptly, "Ryuuzaki will be fine." Mr. Roger nodded, opened the door, and led the young detective down the hall toward the sound of children's playtime.

-

He lay on his back, his eyes gazing absentmindedly at the ceiling above as his arms waved around the two toy airplanes in his hands. The planes flew in circles over his head, but he only watched the flicker of shadows above him. The planes crashed against each other, then he rolled over onto his stomach, the papers around him crinkling under his weight.

"What are you doing?" an unfamiliar voice asked. Without moving his head he looked up at the questioner who was squatting just outside the ring of papers. He showed no particular sign of emotion, but he sat up, his legs bunched beneath him, so he could study the strange man more comfortably.

They stared at each other, two pairs of wide black eyes mirrored in each other as Near twirled one of the planes in his hands and the man sucked on his long index finger with an amused expression on his face.

"I'm Ryuuzaki," the man finally said, introducing himself.

The boy shrugged, breaking eye contact as he picked up the other plane, "I'm Near." They sat in silence for a minute, Ryuuzaki studying the child as Near pointedly ignored him.

"Should you really be sucking on your finger when you're so old?" Near asked.

"Should you really be in your sleep clothes so late in the day?" Ryuuzaki echoed. Near looked up at him, his eyes narrowing. "What case is this?" Ryuuzaki asked, looking around at the scattered papers.

Near remained quiet, looking to his left as his hands continued to play with the planes. He had been deep in thought, on the brink of something, but now this man had interrupted him and he couldn't concentrate anymore.

"The death of Eric River… the death of Ijou River…" Ryuuzaki read from a paper he was holding by the tips of his fingers. Near looked up in surprise from his reverie.

"That's not yours!" Near exclaimed, reaching for the paper. Ryuuzaki held it out of his reach as he kept reading. "Suicide? Murder? Hard to tell from this…" He looked down at Near, who was flailing his arms in an attempt at reaching the report. "Who are the River's?"

Near let his arms drop to his sides as he huffed angrily, "No one. Now give it back!" Ryuuzaki finally complied, lowering the paper into arm's length of the child. Near snatched it out of his hands, his face in a furious pout.

"How old are you?" Ryuuzaki asked, smiling beside himself at the child's obvious irritation.

"Four," the young boy muttered. "What do you want, anyway?" Ryuuzaki shrugged.

"It's impressive for a four year old child to be reading police reports," he said.

Near narrowed his eyes at him, then turned around as he began to gather all the papers. "I don't like you," he said abruptly.

"Eh?" Ryuuzaki's eyes widened. Admittedly, no one had said that to his face. He guessed that was the difference between children and adults.

"I'm sorry," Ryuuzaki said, looking up at the ceiling, "I don't believe I dislike you."

Near said nothing as he continued to pile the papers together. Ryuuzaki took the initiative and began to help, building up the stack of papers as he plucked them off the floor. By the time all the scattered documents had been gathered, Near had grabbed a nearby folder and was already in the process of putting the papers back in. Ryuuzaki watched silently as the small child closed the thick folder, heaving it up (as it was nearly half as tall as he was), then shuffling to the bookshelf by the window. Without a word he took out a heavy book, let it fall to the floor, then placed the folder inside. He closed the book and was about to heave it back up when Ryuuzaki walked over and replaced it in the shelf himself.

Near was silent, gazing up at Ryuuzaki through the white curls of his hair. He showed no sign of thanks, but he didn't seem perturbed, either. Ryuuzaki smiled down at him.

A bit of kindness and good humor, right?

Near suddenly stood up, and without a backwards glance ran out of the room. Ryuuzaki remained standing by the shelf as his eyelids lowered in exasperation. Children were difficult…

He walked out of the empty library as well, leaning against the railing of the balcony as he watched the white headed child make his way down the stairs as fast as his short legs could take him. The front door beneath him opened, and in walked a young girl, probably around Ryuuzaki's own age.

Her eyes fell on the child and she quickly dropped her bag as she exclaimed happily, "Neats!"

Near ran to her open arms and she scooped him up happily. Ryuuzaki's round eyes widened in mild surprise as he made his way down the stairs himself.

"Hey, Lali," Near said, sounding much more cheerful than he had in the library. "How was work?"

"Not bad, not bad," she smiled in reply, "And how was your day, love?" He shrugged, and that's when she caught sight of the young man standing at the foot of the stairs. Near followed her line of vision and made eye contact with Ryuuzaki.

Near turned back to her, then said, "He's Ryuuzaki."

"Oh," she said, glancing at Near with a hint of surprise in her expression, "You know him?" Near shrugged once again, making the girl's smile widen.

She turned to Ryuuzaki, then walked up to him and held her hand out, "Hello, my name's Lara. I suppose you've met my little brother?"

Ryuuzaki's wide eyes stared into her own as he took her hand with a small smile, "I did. Little Near's an interesting boy."

She gave a small laugh as Near wrinkled his nose at Ryuuzaki, "I hope he didn't bother you too much."

"He's the one that bothered me," Near said, turning to his sister with a frown. She arched her eyebrows at him, a grin still on her face.

"Oh? Well did you ask Ryuuzaki to apologize?" she asked, giving a small wink at Ryuuzaki. Near didn't reply, silently considering how Ryuuzaki had thankfully helped him shelf the large book.

She smiled at her brother's silence, then turned back to Ryuuzaki, "Ryuuzaki's an interesting name, where are you from?"

"Japan," Ryuuzaki answered, "Though I did live here in England a few years back."

"Really?" she said, "Our mother was Japanese. I took some classes on the language a few years ago, but I'm afraid I've forgotten most of it."

"It is a simple language to speak," Ryuuzaki nodded, "Although a bit harder to write."

"Lali," Near cut in with a frown, "I'm hungry."

She sighed and turned to look at him with half-lidded eyes, "Neats, you shouldn't interrupt like that."

"But I am," he pouted as he buried his head into her shoulder. She sighed, smiling at Ryuuzaki who was rather intrigued by the young boy.

"Ryuuzaki, would you like to join us for supper?" she asked, a small smile on her face.

He looked at her, rather surprised at the offer, then nodded as he stepped back and hunched over a bit shyly. She grinned at him, but then Near grimaced up at her.

"Hey, don't look at me like that," she said, raising her eyebrow at him, "At least Ryuuzaki's not dressed in his pj's. Maybe we should just leave without you." Near pushed himself away from her rather angrily and she was forced to put him down. He turned and ran down the hall, disappearing around a corner.

"I'm sorry," she said as she turned to Ryuuzaki, "He's being rude."

Ryuuzaki smiled, his index finger on his bottom lip as he shrugged, "It's all right, I'm rather impressed by little Near."

She nodded, "He is impressive, isn't he? He can already read and write, and he talks just about perfectly. I often wonder if he's a genius…"

"Probably," Ryuuzaki replied. She looked at him with intrigue, "he's got an 85 chance of being considered a genius throughout the rest of his life."

"Really?" she asked, feeling her curiosity of the man tickle the back of her mind, "Would you mind me asking just why you're here at the Wammy's House?"

"Not at all," he smiled cheerfully, "I used to live here before I moved to Japan. I'm visiting for a few weeks before I head back to school."

A flicker of emotion crossed her features, "So you're an orphan too?"

Ryuuzaki shrugged, "I never knew my parents and never really thought of them, but I suppose I am." She smiled with a nod and was about to reply when she felt something wrap around her leg.

Near was standing behind her leg, as if hiding, now dressed in a t-shirt and pants, tiny sandals on his feet. She smiled, placing her hand on his head as he let go and she kneeled in front of him.

"Ready to go?" she asked. He nodded silently, obviously still miffed. She brushed his hair out of the way as she kissed him on the forehead. "Hey, Neats? You can't stay mad at me forever." He didn't reply as he pointedly avoided her eyes, twisting his hair around his fingers. She rubbed her nose against his until he finally did look at her, then grinned wildly back at him, looking goofy enough to urge out a small smile from the boy. She kissed him on the forehead once more before standing up.

"All right," she said, taking his hand as she looked back at Ryuuzaki, "Shall we?" Ryuuzaki nodded, then silently followed as she led the way out the door, vaguely wondering if she was always this cheerful.

Half an hour later they were all seated at a small restaurant within walking distance of Wammy House. Near had ridden piggyback on his sister's back as she and Ryuuzaki walked along, discussing what they liked about the Wammy's House on and off along the way.

Now, Ryuuzaki had slipped out of his shoes, hunched in the chair as he usually was with his toes curled around the edge of the seat. He was reading over the menu, oblivious to the amused expression on Lara's face and the puzzled one on Near's.

"Can I take my shoes off too?" Near asked, looking up at his sister. Ryuuzaki glanced up, surprised at the child's question.

"No, you can't, Neats," Lara replied lazily as she scanned the menu herself.

"He gets to do it, why not me?" Near mumbled.

"Ryuuzaki's an adult and not my little brother, he can do whatever he wants," she replied.

Near looked at Ryuuzaki for a moment, who returned the inquisitive stare, then turned back to his sister, "But shoes are uncomfortable!"

"I have to agree with little Near," Ryuuzaki said as he looked back down at the menu, index finger on his lower lip, "Shoes are frustrating." Near was obviously pleased at the agreeable backup, but Lara was unconvinced. She shot Near a quick look which promptly silenced him, then turned to see a waitress coming up to their table.

The waitress cast a bemused look on a preoccupied Ryuuzaki, but looked at Lara with a smile, "What'll you be having tonight, miss?"

"I'll have a plate of spaghetti, and he'll have some fish and chips," Lara said, closing her menu as she motioned to Near.

"And you, sir?" the waitress asked Ryuuzaki.

"I'll have a slice of chocolate cake," he said, closing the menu with the tips of his fingers. The waitress took the menu from him, not bothering to hide her disapproval of the young detective.

As soon as she was gone, Near turned to his sister, "I have fifteen years until I'm an adult. I can't wait."

"But I'll be your sister for the rest of your life," Lara replied with a coy smile, "So don't get your hopes of, love." Near frowned, narrowing his eyes and twirling his hair as he considered ways to be able to live without shoes and with plenty of cake regardless of his sister.

Lara turned away from the thoughtful Near to Ryuuzaki, "Do you always eat cake for dinner?"

"Not necessarily," he answered, his round eyes looking upwards as he considered his past meals, "I don't usually have set meals, I eat when I'm hungry. And I have plenty of tea and hot cocoa throughout the day." She silently wondered if you could get dark circles around the eyes through malnourishment. "Why?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

She smiled, finding herself enjoying his strange mannerisms, "I suppose I've just never met anyone with your kind of diet."

"Sugar boosts my brainpower," he explained with a small smile, "Without it I'm only 40 as efficient."

Near looked up to his sister, "I could live by myself, you know, then you wouldn't be able to tell me what to eat."

"How would you buy the cake?" she replied with a cocked eyebrow, "Where would you get money? It's illegal to hire a four year old, Neats."

He snorted impatiently, deciding it was impossible to rush things. He'd just have to wait until he was at least sixteen.

He turned to Ryuuzaki, "I'm the same way. Without my toys it's hard to think." Ryuuzaki nodded, understanding what he meant. He watched as the boy shifted his gaze, twisting his hair with his fingers.

The corners of the dark haired youth's mouth curled up in obvious contentment as he studied his surroundings with his finger on his lower lip.

Lara studied the boys seated by her. She covered her grin with her hand as she realized how alike they looked, looking around with round black eyes while their fingers did their respective subconscious ticks. Ryuuzaki's disheveled side-swept hair even resembled her little brother's messy curls, besides the obvious polarization of colors and texture.

Their food finally arrived and they all dug in. Lara cut up Near's fish as Ryuuzaki devoured his cake bite by bite. By the time she was finished, he was already stabbing into the last piece of cake. He called the waitress by for another slice, and she came back soon enough with a similar slice of chocolate cake.

As he was halfway through the second slice, his large eyes settled on Lara's. His mouth was full, but his ability to talk around the chocolate cake was remarkable, "So is there any particular reason you choose to call little Near 'Neats'?"

She shrugged as she wrapped the spaghetti around her fork, "I can't call him by his real name, and I don't like calling him 'Near,' so I settled for something in-between."

"That makes sense," Ryuuzaki nodded as he stabbed another piece of cake, "What do you think of the Wammy House's goals?"

She shrugged once more, but her furrowing brows betrayed her false indifference, "I couldn't care less. At least we have a roof over our heads. I'm working full-time now, though, so I can support Neats and myself soon. He can still attend the school there if he wants, but I don't want to commit him to anything he may not want."

"What do you think, little Near?" Ryuuzaki said, turning to look at the child. Near was staring at him with narrowed eyes, his fingers twisting his white locks more quickly than usual. Ryuuzaki and Near stared at each other silently, neither blinking for what felt like minutes. Lara watched, unsure if she should snap her fingers in their faces. They seemed to be gauging each other, for reasons she was unsure of.

"Miss Lara, your brother is impressive indeed," Ryuuzaki said, still not breaking eye contact as he grinned at the young boy, his thumb by his lips. Near turned away, picking up a piece of potato and nibbling on it silently. He seemed to be lost in thought as his gaze fixed itself on the street outside.

"Why do you say that, Ryuuzaki?" she asked.

He only smiled cryptically as he swallowed another bite of chocolate cake.

Five pieces of chocolate cake later, Lara had ordered Near a slice of his own. He was eating slowly, enjoying the treat as he tapped his feet on the booster seat beneath him.

"Would you like any more?" Lara asked Ryuuzaki.

"No, thank you," Ryuuzaki replied politely. "Although I'll probably have a cup of tea once we get back." Lara nodded with a grin. She looked at Near just in time to see him scooping the last bit of cake off his plate and into his mouth. She took her napkin and wiped the chocolate frosting off his face, ignoring the squirming protests as he tried to turn away. Ryuuzaki watched, his large eyes seemingly far off in thought as she finally finished cleaning off the four year old's chin.

Ryuuzaki reached into his pockets and took out a mess of bills. He picked some apart with the tips of his fingers, then placed them on the table.

"Oh, no, really, I can pay," Lara said hurriedly.

"It's alright," Ryuuzaki replied as he slipped back into his tennis shoes and stuffed the bills into his jeans, "I have no problem paying for your dinner."

"Thank you," Lara smiled as she lifted Near from his seat.

Soon they were walking back to the Wammy's House, Near on Lara's back once more. Ryuuzaki glanced at him to see that his eyes were drooping and he was nodding off.

"Little Near seems tired," Ryuuzaki noted.

Lara nodded, "Little kids can't stay up too late, but I have a feeling he'll be impossible to get to bed once he gets older."

"Why do you think that?" Ryuuzaki asked.

She glanced at him, not having expected that question, "Well... I don't know, just this feeling, I guess. He seems like the kind of person that would think there are more important things to do than sleep." Ryuuzaki nodded, smiling happily. He hadn't anticipated meeting a child like Near so quickly…

Lara watched him, feeling that he wasn't telling her his true motive for being at the orphanage. She couldn't remember anyone ever visiting before, unless they had friends in the House. Did the idea of being an orphan really not perturb him? Maybe because he hadn't known his parents it wasn't so much of a big deal…

"What's wrong?" Ryuuzaki asked of her troubled expression.

She blinked and turned to look at him, "I'm sorry, I must've wandered off there." He stared at her, and she found herself staring back, mostly out of a desire to see him blink first. The night was dark, with only the moon and stars providing a fluorescent sheen to her surroundings, but his eyes stood out vividly. They looked even darker than usual in this light, truly pitch black irises surrounded by a ring of sheer white, which were then surrounded by dark circles of sleep depravation, all partially covered by choppy bangs. She couldn't help feeling mesmerized as she continued gazing back steadily.

"Is there something the matter?" he asked, his voice softer than usual. She felt her breath catch in her throat for a second, then shook her head in embarrassment. She hoped he couldn't see her reddening face in the half-light.

She hadn't realized she stopped walking. She laughed abashedly, glancing at him, "I'm sorry, I really don't know what's the matter with me. I must be tired."

"Probably," he said with a small smile. "It seems that Miss Lara works very hard." She blushed harder at the compliment, though she couldn't understand why she did to such a typical comment.

They walked in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Soon enough they arrived at the Wammy House.

The house hummed with the sounds of sleepy children getting ready for bed. The lights were soft and the air cozy. She couldn't help smiling to herself. Sometimes this place wasn't half bad…

"I suppose I'll be going to bed," she said in a whisper.

He nodded, his lips set in a relaxed grin, "Have a good night, Miss Lara."

She smiled, "You too."

She headed down the hall, but stopped at the corner and looked back. He had disappeared, probably off to have his cup of tea. Near shifted on her back, making a small, half-asleep noise. She sighed contentedly, then walked off to their room.

**Notes:** Well, yeah... I'm really trying to build a relationship between the three of them, instead of lumping them together and going "whoo, they like each other!" Right now it may not be very exciting, but...

Blah, I don't like defending my writing, because if I were to write an acutal book I wouldn't get to do that. My opinion doesn't matter as long as you enjoyed it.

But please, _please_, leave a review. PLEASE. Your opinion does matter, dammit, so yell at me or something!

Cheerio, love! ;)


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Ryuuzaki sat in the softest armchair of the sitting room, a teacup just barely in the grip of his fingers. His eyes were half-lidded in the early morning light as he sipped his over sweetened tea. He was not awake yet. He could pull all-nighters, he could work for days without rest, but when it came to waking up at a decent time…

This was to be his second day at the Wammy's House, and he still had a bit short of four weeks to go. Judging by how things went the day before, however, he couldn't help but feel that all was going well.

Near was a very intelligent child. Only four years old, he was already reading police reports and was more articulate than most people three times his age. Not only that, but Ryuuzaki couldn't help feel that Near suspected him of having ulterior motives, if not being L…

And his sister.

The teacup stopped halfway up its ascent to his lips. His eyes widened a fraction of an inch more as he mulled the thought in his mind for a minute. She was… pleasant. Usually people who smiled so much got on his nerves, but he found himself happy to be around her agreeable attitude. He remembered watching her take care of Near, wiping his face and carrying him on his back…

If mothers were meant to act a certain way, they should act like her.

He sighed, his eyelids drooping once more with sleep. His nocturnal hours wouldn't work if he wanted to spend time with the children.

He sipped his tea in silence, watching the shadows grow and the noise swell within the house. Soon he could hear the thumping of feet on the wooden floors as the children prepared for the day accordingly. Voices traveled across the hall as people made their way to breakfast, and he vaguely noted how unusual it was for him to hear so many people around him so early in the morning and in the same house. He sighed.

He was really a loner by heart.

He heard approaching footsteps, and soon he found himself gazing at Near over the brim of his cup. He lowered the teacup, giving Near a sleepy look. Near seemed wide awake, his large eyes as inquisitive as ever.

"Can I have one?" he asked.

"One what?" Ryuuzaki said.

"A sugar cube."

Ryuuzaki shrugged, "Help yourself." Near happily took a handful of cubes and popped them in his mouth. He sucked happily, watching something behind Ryuuzaki's chair.

"What're you doing?" a different approaching voice said. Near didn't reply, sucking on his sugar cubes with an indifferent expression. Ryuuzaki realized someone was standing by him. He lowered his cup once more and shifted his head slightly to the left to see a blonde boy staring back at him haughtily.

"Who're you?" the boy asked, his voice annoyingly authoritative. Ryuuzaki sighed, shifting his head back. It really was too early for this…

"He's Ryuuzaki," Near said simply. The boy narrowed his eyes at the white haired child, then looked back at Ryuuzaki.

"You're kinda funny looking," the boy said critically.

Ryuuzaki decided he needed more sugar.

"And what, Mellow? You're not?" a different voice pitched in. Ryuuzaki looked up in surprise to see Lara looking down at him as she leaned on the back of his chair.

She grinned at him, then looked back to the other boy as she leaned her head forward slightly, her hair falling down from her shoulders.

"I'm not funny lookin'," Mellow mumbled, frowning at the girl.

"I never said it was a bad thing," she shrugged, "Right, Ryuuzaki?" She flashed a quick smirk at him. He wasn't sure if she was implying that he really was funny looking, so he opted for taking another sip from his cup instead.

"Hey, Neats," she said, leaning forward so she was hovering over Ryuuzaki, her hand outstretched, "Share the love, love." Ryuuzaki found himself looking upwards, a purple pajama top brushing the tips of his hair as he realized just what was under the relatively thin layer of fabric. He turned his head back down, his eyes now as wide as ever.

Near smiled, then dropped a few sugar cubes into Lara's outstretched hand. She quickly retracted herself, settling back against the chair comfortably as she popped them into her mouth. She walked around the chair and towards Near, stepping into Ryuuzaki's line of vision.

"Come on, Neats, time for breakfast," she was saying. Her hair was longer than he thought, reaching mid back in thick brown curls. He probably hadn't noticed because it was in a braid the night before. He cocked his head to the side, enjoying how it glinted in the early morning light

"Keep staring like that and your eyes'll pop out," a voice by his ear said. He turned to see the boy named Mellow giving him a very sly grin. He continued in an even quieter tone, "If you want, I can get you some decent pictures. I've got a connection with this girl upstairs who can easily slip into the girl's bathroom one morning and…"

"Mellow, what on earth are you telling him?" Lara frowned, noting the rather flustered looking Ryuuzaki. A tint of red was even visible on his ghostly skin as he frowned and attempted to hide his face behind his teacup, gulping down the final sugary dregs.

"Nothing!" Mellow smiled innocently. With a final knowing glance at Ryuuzaki he turned and ran towards the dining room. Ryuuzaki finally had no choice but to put the empty cup down, although Mellow's offer was still bouncing around his head and his face hadn't completely settled back into its usual pallid shade.

"Pfft, don't listen to whatever he says," she said, rolling her eyes. Near was staring at him, still sucking on the final bits of sugar cube in his mouth, and Ryuuzaki couldn't help feeling he was more aware than he let on. Lara smiled at Ryuuzaki, "Wanna join us for breakfast?"

"No, thank you," he answered, pouring himself another cup of tea, "I'll be fine like this." She couldn't help chuckling to herself as she watched him pop a sugar cube into the murky liquid, then another, then another, then another…

"I suppose we'll see you later then," she grinned. She took hold of Near's hand and led him away towards the dining room.

Ryuuzaki dropped one cube after another into his tea absentmindedly, regardless of the fact that the little blocks were making a small mountain in the middle of his cup. It irked him that he lost his composure so easily. So much for acting like a world-class detective. He flicked the top cubes off the mountain and into the tea, then picked up a spoon and began mixing carefully, sure to keep the tea and sugar from spilling.

There really was no need to get so flustered.

He sipped his sugar loaded tea, eyes half shut, content with the conclusion he had reached.

-

Breakfast had ended and Lara was busy taking a shower. Near wandered the halls absentmindedly, a toy robot in his hands. He decided to go to the game room and finish a quick puzzle while she finished.

He turned to enter the ample blue room, but stopped at the doorway. Ryuuzaki was standing by one of the three large ceiling high windows, his back towards Near and apparently deep in thought.

After a pause, Near stepped through the doorway and towards one of the shelves. He dropped his robot as he pulled out a puzzle from the shelf. Setting the puzzle down on the floor as he sat down, Near opened the box and dumped out the pieces.

"Do you enjoy puzzles, little Near?" he heard Ryuuzaki say from across the room. He looked up at the wide black eyes, then shrugged and began sorting out the pieces. He could feel Ryuuzaki watching him as he clicked the pieces together one by one, building the frame of the puzzle and then working his way into the middle. Neither of them said a word as the clicking of cardboard continued and the shouts of children playing outside filtered through the windows.

Ten minutes later, a picture of a large waterfall with an assortment of tropical wildlife teeming around it was complete before Near. He looked at the finished product for a moment, studying each of the colorful birds and small mammals briefly.

"How many times have you completed that puzzle?" Ryuuzaki asked him as he walked towards the young boy.

"This is my first time," Near answered as he began to pick apart the picture, dropping the pieces into the box once more.

"Ah," Ryuuzaki said, a smile curling his lips. He turned to the shelf that was overflowing with puzzles, his hand gliding over them until it landed on a box. He pulled the puzzle out of the shelf and showed it to Near.

"Have you ever done this one?" he asked, still grinning slightly. Near looked up at him silently as his hands dropped the last pieces into the box and covered it with the lid.

"No," he admitted, getting up and replacing the box back into the shelf.

"Would you like to?" Ryuuzaki asked. Near shrugged, but he sat down in front of Ryuuzaki expectantly.

Ryuuzaki's smile widened as he sat down on his haunches before the boy and dumped out the pieces of the puzzle.

They worked in silence, the pieces clicking together quickly as their fingers set them in their place.

After a few minutes, Ryuuzaki spoke, "Your sister is very careful in what she says about your future. It seems she doesn't want to commit you to the goals of this orphanage. I've heard what she thinks about the matter, but little Near has yet to voice his opinion."

Near remained silent, his eyes focused on the task before him. Finally, he responded with a shrug of his small shoulders, "I don't really think about it. I guess it wouldn't be so bad to replace that L guy."

Ryuuzaki nodded, but before he could say something the child continued, "Still, if I turn into the next L, I think Lali will worry about me too much."

Ryuuzaki thought for a minute in silence, then said, "True, miss Lara would probably prefer if you became something else—maybe a dentist? But in the end all that matters are little Near's wishes, and Miss Lara's opinion becomes irrelevant."

Near frowned, eyes narrowing as they looked up at Ryuuzaki, his hands still moving, "My sister's not irrelevant." Ryuuzaki rested his hands on his knees as he studied the child quietly for a minute, the sound of pieces coming together still clicking in the room as Near continued with the puzzle.

Ryuuzaki then asked, "What happened to your parents?" Near's hand stalled for a second, hovering over a puzzle piece he was about to grab.

As he took the piece and fitted it into its rightful spot, he said, "They died, obviously."

"People can die in many different ways, little Near," Ryuuzaki pointed out.

Near was quiet, his eyes hidden by his white bangs while his hands finished the puzzle.

"There you are!" a voice said from the doorway. Lara walked into the play room, striding over to the two boys. Her hair was wet and a towel was draped over her shoulders as she bent over to look at the puzzle.

She whistled in awe, "Five hundred pieces, impressive. That's a big puzzle, and a nice picture." The puzzle featured a busy central street of 19th century London. "Did you do it all yourself, Neats?"

"…Ryuuzaki helped a little," her little brother mumbled in reply.

"No, little Near did most of the work," Ryuuzaki said, looking up at Lara. "I mostly just watched."

"I see," Lara smiled. She turned to Near, "What do you wanna do today, Neats?"

He looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully, then back to his sister, "Go to the park."

"All right, go get dressed then," she said. Near got up and trotted out of the room, his white pajamas and hair disappearing through the door.

"You'll be going out today?" Ryuuzaki asked as he began to pick apart the street on the puzzle.

"Yeah," she grinned, "Sundays are my only days off, so I always go out with Neats so we can spend the day together."

"I see," Ryuuzaki said, shutting the lid of the box. He picked it up and put it back on the shelf, then stood up straight as he scratched one foot with the other and turned to look at Lara. She arched her eyebrows in mild surprise at his height.

"Honestly now, if you stood up straight all the time you'd hit every doorframe you'd walk through," she said, an amused look on her face. "You're sure you're Japanese?"

"Pretty sure," Ryuuzaki replied, running his fingers through his hair lazily as he looked up at the ceiling.

"Anyways, what are your plans for the day?"

"Hmm," he said, "Nothing really, besides wandering around the orphanage a bit more."

Lara grinned at him, "In that case, you're welcome to join us at the park. I can't say it's more thrilling than the orphanage, but at least it's a change of venue."

Ryuuzaki was silent for a minute, once again thrown off by the offer. After a pause, he looked down at Lara with a light grin, "All right."

A bit later they were walking down the road, Near on Lara's back and Ryuuzaki shuffling along beside her in his untied tennis shoes with his hands stuffed in his pockets. Near, now dressed in a plain-white long sleeve shirt and a pair of rather large worn out pants for his size, pushed Lara's curls out of the way so that they fell from her shoulders. She flipped her hair from her eyes as she shifted Near's weight on her back.

"Hey, don't be too much of a bother back there, Neats," she said, winking at Ryuuzaki.

"I'm not," Near grumbled, latching on to the strap of her blue tank-top with one hand as he curled his hair with the other. He looked around him absent mindedly, watching the wooden fence to their left slowly pass by with each step.

"Do you go to the park often, Ms Lara?" Ryuuzaki asked as he glanced at the girl.

"I guess," she replied. "Near stays inside too much, the only time he's willing to play outside is when he's with me at the park, so I'm always willing to go. Of course, I have to lather him with sunscreen before we do; poor child burns too readily."

"The see-saw's the best ride," Near pointed out, ignoring the comment on his skin as he kept his eyes on the passing scenery.

"True that, love," Lara smiled. She looked at Ryuuzaki, "Did you go to the park often when you were small?"

Ryuuzaki shrugged, "I tended to stay inside, but I did play a few sports when I was a kid."

Near turned to Ryuuzaki abruptly, "Lali's really good at football." He just as quickly turned his head back as Ryuuzaki stared at him. Was it just him, or did that sound like a challenge…?

"That was a long time ago, Neats," Lara laughed breezily. "And I wasn't that great."

"Ms Lara played football?" Ryuuzaki asked, turning to look at Lara.

She nodded, "All through elementary and middle school, but then we moved here and I was too busy with…" She trailed off, and for a minute the only sound was the crunching dirt under their feet as they marched on.

"I was a decent player myself, perhaps we could have a match sometimes soon?" Ryuuzaki said pleasantly.

Lara turned to look at Ryuuzaki, and he saw a spark of competition in her eye, "Sure, there's a field at the park. We can play if we get a ball from somewhere." By then they had come upon the local park, a creaky set of faded swings coming into view, then the slide, see-saw, and merry-go-round.

Lara set down Near and watched him run to the swing set and hop on. She went over and started pushing him as he kicked his legs in and out with the momentum. Soon he was going high enough that Lara could step out of the way and leave him be. She walked back to Ryuuzaki, but saw that he was watching something else.

She followed his line of sight to see a group of kids playing football on the field. She arched her eyebrows, knowing exactly what Ryuuzaki was thinking.

"Just how good of a player are you?" she asked, turning to him with a grin.

He returned the smile, "I may not look it, but I do enjoy sports." Her grin widened as she turned to Near.

"Hey, Neats!" she yelled. He looked at her as he swung up and down, his white hair flitting around his ears. "Mind if I play a game of football with Ryuuzaki?" He shook his head "no," and she waved a thanks before walking to the kids. Ryuuzaki followed, and they stood at the sidelines watching them play until the goalie caught the ball and finally stopped to see what the spectators wanted.

"D'you mind if we join in?" Lara asked the boy who was holding the ball.

"Ehh," he replied, bouncing it on the palms of his hands as he looked at his companions still in the field. They noticed the silent entreaty and ran up to him quickly, huddling together.

"What do they want?" another boy asked.

"They wanna play with us," he answered.

"Ehh?" all the kids said, darting looks at the teens.

"But that guy looks so… scrawny."

"And she's a _girl_!"

"Oi!" the one girl in the group exclaimed. "I'm a girl, too!"

"Yeah, well, you don't count," another snorted.

"What? Sod off!"

"Guys!" the ball-holder butted in, "What're we gonna do about them, then?"

"She comes to the park all the time with that little white haired boy," the girl noted, glancing at Lara. "If she was miffed at us it could make things awkward." There was a grumbled agreement throughout the group.

The ball-holder ran up to Lara, "Just one match, alright?"

Lara shrugged with a smile, "Sure, that'll be fine."

Minutes later Ryuuzaki and Lara were facing each other, waiting for the game to begin as two of the kids stood at the center of the field. The boy from Lara's team managed to get the ball away from the other, and so the game began as he ran down the field.

The ball passed to another child as the first was blocked off. He was making progress to the goal, but was soon headed off as well. He looked around frantically for a teammate to pass to, but only Lara was open.

He hoped for the best and kicked it to her. She grinned as she took the ball and began to dribble it towards the goal once more. Ryuuzaki headed her off, bare-feet and all, but she was too quick for him and swiftly tucked it out of his reach. She shuffled away quickly, then kicked the ball.

It flew towards the goal, so fast that it was already gone by the time the goalie had realized what had happened. He blinked dumbly, then ran quickly to fetch the ball.

Ryuuzaki and Lara's eyes met. They grinned, then headed back to their spots on the field as another round began.

The ball went to Lara's team once again as a boy dribbled it down the field. He was getting blocked off by the other children and passed the ball, but it was intercepted by the girl on the opposite team. She grinned, running with the ball as the boys from Lara's team chased her, but was quickly blocked off. She managed to twist the ball out of their reach soon enough to be able to pass it to the only open member of her team.

Ryuuzaki gladly took the ball, and soon enough Lara was there, both their feet twisting around the others' in an attempt to snatch the ball for themselves. Ryuuzaki finally slipped it nimbly out of her reach, his face set in a grin with excitement. Lara had a similar expression on her face as she ran after him…

And so the game went on. The other children learned to stay out of the way of the teens when they went head on. It was easier to follow, and it was fun to watch; who would've known such an unlikely pair would be this good? Of course, Ryuuzaki and Lara eased up when dealing with the kids, but there was a silent agreement that all gloves were off when either of them had the ball. The intense competition with them was fierce, but the happy grins on their faces showed that it was all in friendliness.

Near watched from the sidelines, his face unreadable as he twirled his hair idly with one finger. He had never seen his sister play football before, and he hadn't expected her to be this good. Not only that, but he hadn't expected to see her look so… happy.

He settled down in the shade of a tree, his large eyes following the movement on the field as idly picked at the grass around him.

Nearly an hour later, Ryuuzaki and Lara huffed off the field, both feeling sweaty and worn out as the kids eagerly asked if they would play another game.

"No thanks," Lara replied, heading towards Near. "Maybe some other time, alright?"

"I'll have to pass on the offer as well," Ryuuzaki said with a small smile as he grabbed his tennis shoes and followed her. The kids nodded happily, then returned to another game.

"You're a very good player," Ryuuzaki said as he approached Lara who was sitting down by Near.

"Thanks," she said brightly, catching her breath, "You're not so bad yourself. I haven't played a game like that in a long time."

Ryuuzaki nodded, "Neither have I. It was quite the enjoyable experience, perhaps we can play another time?"

Lara nodded, then turned to Near, "Hallo, Neats, what's up?" He didn't reply as he continued twirling his hair, looking away vaguely. She looked concerned for a moment, but the next second she stood up and scooped him up.

With a victorious laugh she ran to the merry-go-round, placing a surprised Near on it as she pushed it, running alongside it. Near held on to one of the poles, his eyes wide as they picked up speed. Soon she hopped on as well, grinning widely as she watched him. They slowly came to a halt as the momentum let up, and Lara giggled as she and Near staggered off the ride.

Near's head was spinning as he took awkward steps, feeling as if the ground was shifting beside him. He tripped on his feet and fell on his bottom, but that only made him laugh along with Lara. When the vertigo died down, she helped him up and took him by the hand, leading him off to play on the see-saw. She glanced at Ryuuzaki, winking with a grin.

Ryuu sat beneath a tree, his toes curling around the grass, as he watched the siblings play together. Lara looked genuinely happy as she fooled around with Near, and the child looked more carefree than ever before. He was smiling brightly, looking more like the four year old he was than the child prodigy.

A while later, Lara left Near playing in the shady sandbox. She headed to where Ryuuzaki was seated, settling down beside him with her legs crossed.

"Really now, I'm tired," she said, exhaling the large breath she had taken. She watched Near build a sandcastle around himself fondly, "He looks happy, doesn't he?"

Ryuuzaki chewed on his thumbnail, glancing at Lara before replying, "Yes, he does. You've done a good job with little Near."

She grinned broadly as she lay down, her arms crossed behind her head and her legs kicking out then plopping on the grass, "Good lord, I hope so."

She closed her eyes, letting the wind brush over her skin, cooling the sweat and refreshing her. Ryuuzaki watched her with his round eyes, watching how her chest rose and fell, how her hair had splayed around her head in large brown curls, and how the shadows from the tree's leaves flickered across her face.

"What's the matter?" she asked, and he realized she was now looking at him. He looked back, noticing just how dark her own eyes were, a deep and heavy brown that seemed black in Near's pale face.

He turned his head back, then stated simply as he gazed upwards, "Ms Lara is an attractive young woman."

Her face took on a shade of pink as she sat up abruptly. "What?" she said automatically.

"I was just making an observation," Ryuuzaki replied quietly, "You're a very attractive young woman." His gaze shifted onto her, "Have you been told differently?"

"Not really, um, th-thank you," she faltered, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. No one had ever told her she was attractive like that before. She had been called good-looking, but never in such a matter-of-fact way.

She couldn't help smiling warmly at him as he remained silent, chewing on his thumbnail nervously with his legs drawn up to his chest. There was something comforting in his vaguely indifferent, straightforward, demeanor.

"Hey, Ryuuzaki," she said, still smiling. He turned to look at her, his eyes round.

"Yes?" he asked.

"You're… you're a lot of fun to be around, y'know? Thanks." He stared at her, his eyes as wide as usual, but her happy expression didn't falter. His face finally flickered into a content smile, his thumb still by his lips, then turned his head back, his eyes watching the lazy white clouds roll over the sky.

-

"That was fun, wasn't it, Neats?" Lara said happily as she took off her sweat stained clothes. Near toyed with a small truck in his hands, silent as she changed into clean clothes.

She sat down beside him, brushing his hair gently with her fingers as she smiled contentedly down at him.

"Hey, Lali?" he asked, his eyes looking the opposite direction of his sister. "Why don't you play football anymore?"

She sighed, still playing with his hair, "Oh, I don't know, Neats, I just stopped."

"You looked really happy," he said, the truck turning in his hands. She was silent for a moment, looking down at her brother thoughtfully.

"I guess I just had better things to do," she finally said, lifting him onto her lap and hugging him. "Why play football when I can play with you, instead?"

He smiled happily at her warm gesture, letting himself rest comfortably against her body. They sat together, Lara watching Near toy with the truck, her fingers playing with his hair, as the sounds of the orphanage lay muffled on the other side of the door.

**Notes: **So, this is the second chapter.

Um, yeah... what did you think...?

I got some awesome reviews for my last one! I want to thank all of you! Talk about the case of warm fuzzies, I was giddy all over!

Ah, so many exclamation points... In any case, please leave another review, they make me so very happy and I want to hear any constructive criticism you guys may have. I'm trying my hardest to live up to yours and mine expectations, so, really, if you feel the need to point anything out then please do :)


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Lara sighed heavily, shifting the strap of the bag on her shoulder as she made her way up the road to the Wammy's House. She stepped carefully, wary of tripping and spraining anything on the dark road, but she couldn't help her mind from wandering ahead of her.

She had homework to finish before the next class of Calculus rolled around on Friday, and she couldn't help but feel that taking a summer class was stretching her endurance. She already had her full-time job working as a receptionist for a local dentist, where she spent hour after hour brightly dealing with the impatient and ungrateful victims of the waiting room, all complaining about one ache or another. She was amazed at the creativity some people called upon to move up a step in the line, if not frustrated at their persistence.

And now she had mathematics to worry about, as if she didn't get back to the orphanage late enough. She hardly had time to spend with her little brother and felt somewhat guilty at only allotting him one day of the week.

She sighed heavily, the gates of the orphanage passing overhead as she walked through, heading up the path to the heavy wooden doors. She stepped inside, shutting the door gently so as not to bother anyone. The house was quiet with the sleeping children; she was the only one allowed out this late because of special privileges. She tiptoed to her room, slipping in as silently as possible.

Near was snuggled up in their bed, his little fist curled around a lock of hair as he slept peacefully. She smiled down at him as she dropped off her coat and changed shoes. She picked up her bag once more, then leaned down and kissed him softly before tiptoeing back out the door.

Ryuuzaki was settled in the sitting room as she walked in, sitting on the floor with a laptop on the coffee table, arms length away as his wide eyes stared at the screen.

They flickered towards her, then back as he said, "Ms Lara, you're finished with your class?"

"Yeah," she smiled, sitting down on the opposite side of the table. She paused before opening her bag, yawning softly as she took out her binder and textbook. Setting them before her, she flipped to the appropriate page and began her assigned set of problems.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence in which both teens worked diligently, already used to the calm atmosphere of these late night sessions they had been having for the past few days, Lara tapped her pencil on her paper and looked up at the tuft of hair behind the screen that was Ryuuzaki.

"How was your day?" she asked, glancing at her work.

"Uneventful," he replied, "Although I had an interesting game of chess with the boy named Mellow. It appears he doesn't like losing, correct?"

Lara chuckled, "Yup, that's Mellow." They slipped into another silence as the occasional tapping of keys and scribble of pen was heard. Ryuuzaki was sipping a cup of tea from the tray at his side, his eyes intent on his task as he skillfully reached down and stirred in more sugar cubes without shifting his vision.

The tinkle of the spoon hitting the cup was loud in the quiet atmosphere, but it passed unnoticed by the residents of the small room.

An hour passed before Lara put down her pencil and looked down at the sheet of paper that was now covered in math problems, satisfied with the accomplishment of the assignment. She tilted her head back and stretched out her arms, yawning widely then settling back down with her elbows on the table, blinking tears out of her eyes.

"You seem tired," Ryuuzaki said from behind the monitor.

She shrugged, "Business as usual. Soon enough I'll have dark circles around my eyes to match yours." He didn't answer, but no sound came from the keyboard.

"Perhaps," he said after a moment, "But I have no obligations to dissuade me." She shrugged, not denying what he said.

She cocked her head to the side, tracing a circle on the surface of the table with her nail, then asked, "What is it that you're so busy with? Every night I come in here you're staring at that computer."

"Nothing relevant to Ms Lara," he replied in his usual nonchalant tone. She frowned, feeling a tick of irritation, and almost as if he could feel her scowl he tilted his head to the side, one round eye visible to Lara from the edge of the screen. "It's the truth, I'm sorry if I offended you."

"Of course," she snorted, laying her head on the table and looking away. She could feel him watching her, but soon enough the tapping of the keyboard resumed as he returned to whatever it was he was doing. She clenched her hands in exasperation, then sat up and began to put away her belongings.

She was tired and easily miffed, having spent an entire day being cheerful for complete strangers. She didn't feel like putting up with his peculiar, indifferent attitude tonight, especially when it meant he brushed her off so easily.

She got up, shouldering her bag, then turned her back on Ryuuzaki and made her way to the door.

She heard a small click behind her as Ryuuzaki said, "Did you know there is going to be a meteor shower tonight?" She paused, glancing behind her to see that Ryuuzaki had closed the computer and was now standing up.

"Excuse me?" she said, trying to sound disinterested and detached as she turned towards him coolly, regardless of the prick of curiosity in her mind.

"It's true," he said, walking closer in his hunched posture. He straightened himself, his foot scratching the other as he gazed down at Lara from his unusual height. "It's supposed to happen around midnight. Would you like to watch?"

She blinked up at him as he stared back.

"Are—are you _inviting_ me to spend some time with you?" she asked, her expression doubtful as she wondered if she had heard correctly.

"Yes, well, I just thought you might enjoy the shower," he replied, his brow furrowing under his bangs at the unexpected reaction. There was a moment of silence, but Lara's face broke out into the familiar smile he was used to.

"I believe I would," she said brightly, feeling that her spirits had improved greatly. He returned the smile, then turned back to the couch. He took a blanket that was set on the cushions, then retraced his steps to her as he proceeded to walk out of the room quietly, heading towards the front door.

They shut the door quietly, the blanket tucked under Ryuuzaki's arm as Lara led the way to the grassy field behind the house. Setting the blanket under the open sky, they both sat down comfortably, heads tilted upwards even though the event was half an hour away.

Lara lay down, her arms stretched over her head as she looked up at Ryuuzaki, "Come on, settle down. It's more comfortable this way."

He silently studied her for a minute, then complied, the limbs of his gangly body sprawling out on the blanket. He set his hands on his stomach, fingers intertwined.

"It's a peaceful night," she noted. He didn't answer, but she heard a calm sigh escape him. She smiled, turning to her side to watch him.

He mirrored her actions, shifting his body as he looked back at her owlishly. She was always surprised at seeing the complete length of his torso, which was usually hidden by his coiled, rather long legs. Seeing him so spread out disconcerted her for a moment, but she quickly recovered as her eyes passed over him briefly.

"You have a very expressive face," she said, her eyes reaching his. He seemed confused, as if unsure of what to make of the comment. Her smile broadened as she explained, "Granted, you seem rather indifferent a lot of the time, but when you choose to you have such curious lips, and your eyes always seem so engrossed." She added gently, "I love watching you think sometimes."

He blinked in surprise, but he let his "curious lips" curl into a content expression.

"I believe all of you is wonderful, Ms Lara," he replied quietly. It was her turn to look surprised as she felt her face flush.

Alright, so she would be fooling herself if she said she didn't fancy Ryuuzaki. Regardless of whether this was a childish crush or not, she found everything about him captivating, every action enjoyable, and every expression priceless. She didn't mind her homework half as much anymore, only because it gave her an excuse to sit with him every night, and she often wished she could wrap her arms around his elusive torso.

Her face was visibly burning now as these thoughts passed her mind.

She reached up with her hands, hiding her face in embarrassment as she forced herself to cough into her palms as a cover.

"Are you alright?" he asked, mildly concerned. This only made her face burn even more, and she was soon burying it into her hands as if willing it to disappear.

"Um, sorry," she said with a laugh after a minute of trying to regain her composure. "I'm just feeling a bit chilly." It was a rather weak excuse, but it wasn't entirely false; the night air was brisk with the coming fall.

"This is the part where I suggest we get closer together, am I right?" This floored her yet again, her heart-beat quickening as her face reddened for the third time. He watched her flustered state, frowning with confusion. Wasn't he supposed to suggest such an action? He wasn't completely sheltered and had heard of such situations many times back in junior high school.

"Oh, don't make that face," she said, looking at him apologetically through her fingers. She pulled down her hands, a sheepish expression on her face. "I'm sorry, you're completely right. Come here." She shifted herself closer to him, their bodies pressed together with her head resting on his shoulder and arm. He let his arm press gingerly around her shoulders.

Well, half her wish had come true. She smiled to herself, happy with the warmth of his body and the swirl of the Milky Way above her.

Ryuuzaki's long fingers were tangled in her hair, the loose curls wrapping around them as he turned his hand slowly, his eyes widening with interest. He combed his hand through it gently, enjoying the feeling of the soft locks running through the gaps of his fingers as he repeated the gesture. His spindly fingers experienced every strand of hair as they swept across them, and he found it infinitely more pleasant than he could've imagined.

Not that he imagined thumbing Lara's hair often or anything.

"Don't do that," she mumbled as she shifted her head lazily. He stopped immediately, and she looked up at him amiably as he glanced down at her rather apologetically. She smiled warmly, "Not for any other reason than that if you keep doing that I'll fall asleep long before I get to see any falling stars."

He smiled lightly, nodding his head, "You're tired, correct? Perhaps it would be better if you went to bed."

"No," she grinned, stretching her arm across his chest, then bringing it back to rest on her own as she exhaled heavily, "I'm perfectly fine, and I'm not leaving here until I get to make a wish."

"Alright," he replied, looking up as if expecting a shower of stars to drop precisely at that moment, "I just hope little Near's not expecting you."

She shook her head gently, "He's already asleep and probably won't wake up for the rest of the night."

They became silent, the natural sounds coming from the meadow around them droning softly in their ears. She felt Ryuuzaki relax just a bit more around her, letting out an almost silent breath as his arm settled itself more smugly around her.

She felt a flicker of uncertainty as her mind resurfaced her daily thoughts, but she pushed it out of the way as she blurted, "I worry about him."

Her voice seemed intrusive next to the sound of insects and rustling leaves, but she felt she couldn't keep her feelings to herself anymore. She had no one to talk to sometimes, and this was the first time she felt truly comfortable enough with someone to even consider it.

"There's not much to worry about," he replied in a gentle whisper. "Little Near's a remarkable boy, and I believe your role in his life is partly to credit for it." Her chest seemed to tighten of its own volition, as if the words she had been holding on to for so long would strangle her at any moment.

"But I'm still…" she paused, her throat constricting as she blinked heavily, "I'm still not his mother. I could never take the place of our parents." He was silent, his wide eyes on the view above him.

"It would be irrational to expect that of you," he finally said after a minute. "Ms Lara and little Near are both good people, they were raised as such."

She smiled shakily, blinking away tears that disappeared into her hair, "Thank you, I…" She exhaled slowly, closing her eyes as she pushed away the rest of her silent sobs. "I've tried my hardest. It—it wasn't fair for them to be taken away from us. It wasn't fair for them to be killed for what they did." She gulped, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "The police report said they committed suicide, but I know better. I know my parents."

Her sobs finally broke through quietly as she recalled the days and restless nights that followed their deaths, the pain that came with the realization that she and her brother were orphans and that a large chunk of her life had been violently torn away.

"I know my little brother asked for the police report from Mr. Roger," she continued thickly, "I know Mr. Roger gave it to him, and that Neats doesn't believe what it says. He's trying to find enough proof to incriminate someone, but he's only four years old…" She clenched her jaw, then softly said, "No four year old should be researching his parents' death. If anyone should, it should be that bloody detective, L."

Ryuuzaki was silent as her shoulders jerked erratically next to his with her shaky breaths, his round eyes solemn as he held on to her more firmly and his mind buzzed with her words.

"Please stop crying," he finally said softly as he looked down at her. He reached over with his left hand, faltering with uncertainty for a moment as it hovered over his chest, then gingerly brushed her tears away with the tips of his fingers. She looked up at him mournfully, her usual cheerful demeanor now achingly tragic. He brushed stray hairs from her face in a tender manner that was alien to him until that moment, and when she reached up and took his hand in hers, he readily clasped onto it tightly.

He wasn't used to such emotional encounters, and he was often awkward and unsure when dealing with people, but he understood the need of having a warm body to press against when times were tough. As reclusive as he was, he was in the end only human, and as a human he often felt the pains of being alone. Humans were, after all, social creatures.

"People like Ms Lara shouldn't cry," he whispered into her hair as she muffled her cries with her other hand. That was why there was a need for justice. That was why L existed.

She turned her body, burying her face into his shoulder as she gripped his hand steadily. She needed this. She allowed herself to cry, to let out what she kept in for her little brother's sake.

"Look," she heard Ryuuzaki murmur. She turned her head, wiping her face with the sleeve of her free hand. He was looking up, his features unusually bright and hopeful as the stars streaked across the dark sky. He looked down at her, "It's time to make your wish."

She smiled at him gratefully, nodding as she rested her head on his shoulder once more. Her eyes following the trails of stars, she whispered her desire into her heart, willing it to come true.

After a moment, Ryuuzaki looked back down at her with his large raccoon eyes, "What did you wish for?"

She snorted with shaky laughter, still wiping away tears, "I can't tell you, it'll ruin it."

"Why?"

"Because you're supposed to keep it a secret or else it won't come true."

He shifted his gaze back, his round eyes on the cosmic display above him. "That doesn't make sense," he mumbled.

She laughed, resting her arm on his stomach as she settled her head against him comfortably. "Maybe it doesn't," she replied. "But a lot of things aren't supposed to."

He was quiet, enjoying the soft flurry of lights. Minutes passed in silent tranquility, his mind at peace for the time being. Finally, he blinked, realizing that Lara had settled down considerably and was much more silent than before.

"Ms Lara?" he asked, looking down at her. She didn't respond, and he tilted his head up in an attempt to look at her properly. "Lara?"

She was sleeping serenely, her arm draped across his chest and her body pressed close to his. She looked so content, so at ease, that he didn't wish to move her at all.

He settled his head back down, enjoying what was left of the shooting stars.

-

"I was here a full bloody half hour before that bloke and he got in before me!" Lara sighed inwardly as the smile on her face almost visibly creaked off its hinge.

"I'm sorry, sir," she said with a strained expression, "but he had an appointment for two o'clock, while you only walked in." The man huffed angrily as he leaned down towards her, his nostrils flaring. He started shouting about unfair treatment and…

She had woken up that morning to find herself wrapped around Ryuuzaki. She usually did that with a pillow or Near, so Ryuuzaki had just been added to the list of victims. Her legs had been coiled around his left one, and her hands had found their way under his shirt for the added warmth. By the time her groggy mind had focused, she realized she was staring into his perplexed face.

Her own face had reddened almost instantly as she became acutely aware of the feeling of her fingertips pressed against his ribs. He seemed to be aware of what she was thinking as well as he looked away awkwardly.

After having snapped herself into a sitting position, her hands safely out of his white shirt, she had blubbered an apology through her fingers in embarrassment.

Lara smiled, tapping her pencil idly on the table…

He assured her it was alright after having sat up himself. He took on his nonplussed attitude and mildly suggested that they head back to the orphanage. That's when she realized she had spent the entire night out with him. He told her he didn't want to wake her because she had fallen asleep…

The dim smile on Lara's face clued in the frustrated customer that she was hardly paying attention.

"Are you listening to me?" he demanded, his eyes bulging.

Lara blinked, realizing she wasn't on the hillside with Ryuuzaki but in the office with a rather unattractive man yelling at her. Very unattractive, especially compared to Ryuuzaki… his messy black hair was so cute… and he was surprisingly fit under all that baggy clothing…

Her hazy smile had returned and was now accompanied by a light blush as she stared through the calendar on the wall. The man grumbled obscenities at her, but her glossy eyes hardly noticed he was there. He finally gave up, storming out of the office.

And he made such a lovely pillow…

-

"God dammit!" Mellow exclaimed furiously as he shot up from his chair, his eyes livid and popping as he glared down at the small chessboard before him. He then growled at his opponent, "How in the bloody hell did I lose?"

"I believe it was when you decided to take my queen with your rook," Ryuuzaki said simply, looking back at him blankly. "And perhaps it would be appropriate of you to avoided cursing, seeing as little Near is in the room." Near sat on the floor away from them, crashing two robots together as they took part in an epic battle.

"He can sod off, you great git!" Mellow hissed. "I'm trying to figure out just how in the hell your bloody strategy beat mine!"

"I already answered that question," Ryuuzaki said dryly, feeling irritated, "And, really, please avoid cursing. I don't think Ms Lara would be too happy if little Near picked up your foul mouth."

"Blast 'Ms Lara'!" Mellow continued, "I'm not settling down until you explain each of your damn moves and why you freakin' beat me with your lousy…"

"Mellow," Ryuuzaki said sharply, clearly agitated, "Please shut up."

The blond snapped his mouth shut, but he continued glaring fiercely at Ryuuzaki, his face reddening as if keeping his jaw clamped was suffocating him.

"You know what? I have better things to do than stay with you, you blubbering idiot!" he finally snapped, "I'm going outside!" And with that he pushed his chair roughly out of the way and stomped out of the room.

Ryuuzaki sighed, still annoyed as he began to replace the pieces into their rightful spots.

"Can I play?" he heard Near's small voice say. He looked up to see that the child had replaced the chair at the table and was settling into it, one of his robots still in his hand.

"Of course," Ryuuzaki answered with a light smile. Near nodded absent-mindedly as he looked down at the chessboard. Luckily for him, the chessboard was on a rather low table and he wouldn't have to look for a book to sit on.

"White has the first move," Ryuuzaki stated. Near nodded, picking up his pawn and setting it two spaces ahead. Ryuuzaki made a similar first move, and the game began.

After a minute of pensive silence, Near said, "Do you like my sister?"

If Ryuuzaki was caught off guard, he didn't show it, "Yes, I do like Ms Lara. Why?"

"How much do you like her?" Near asked, ignoring his opponent's question.

Ryuuzaki chewed on his thumbnail, eyeing Near speculatively. He had expected this; it was only natural that the child should be concerned over his sister.

"I like her more than most people I meet," Ryuuzaki finally answered as he moved one of his own pieces.

"Lali's had other boyfriends, you know," Near blurted, now looking up at Ryuuzaki through his mat of bangs.

Ryuuzaki blinked, then replied easily, "That's not surprising. Ms Lara's an attractive young woman, and she's very pleasant to be around."

"So you think she's pretty?" Near asked once again, his eyes back on the board.

Ryuuzaki felt a twinge of discomfort, but decided there would be no harm in answering his questions, "I do. There are few Japanese women like her, or any of any other nationality, really." He looked down at the board, inwardly smirking at how Near had managed to avoid all of his traps so far. He picked up a piece and swiftly set it back down.

"Lali didn't come home last night," Near said. His countenance was hidden, but Ryuuzaki was sure there was a twinge of defensiveness in his voice.

"That would be my fault," he replied, still chewing on his thumbnail, staring as the small boy took his bishop, "I suggested we watch a meteor shower that happened late last night, and she unfortunately fell asleep. I didn't want to wake her, so I just stayed outside with her."

Near was twirling a lock of hair around his index finger, examining the scattered pieces, "How close did you get to her last night?"

This question did manage to throw the teenager off. Were four-year-olds supposed to ask these kinds of questions? Granted, Near was by no means ordinary, and it could be a completely innocent inquiry, but still...

"She did get closer to me in her sleep, but it was in no way inappropriate." Ryuuzaki reflected now that he was really not used to such close physical contact with another. True, he had punctured a few personal bubbles by leaning his face in to people he was interrogating, but that had been the first time someone else had willingly made the first move to get so close. Not that he minded; in fact, it was really quite the contrary.

Near had been studying Ryuuzaki, his hand still twirling his hair. He narrowed his eyes, then looked away with a frown.

"Don't think you're special or anything," Near said, catching the preoccupied Ryuuzaki's attention. "She doesn't mean to do that, she just does that in her sleep. That's why we keep an extra pillow on the bed, or else she wakes me up at night with her hugs."

Ryuuzaki stared at Near with his wide eyes, expression indecipherable, "Of course, that makes sense. Most people are completely unaware in their sleep." Near shrugged, looking away as his hand moved one of his pieces.

Ryuuzaki's eyes flickered down at the board, "You are doing a very good job defending yourself, little Near. It took little Mellow a while before he realized what I was doing."

"So if you like her, you're going to tell her, right?" Near said abruptly, looking up at Ryuuzaki suspiciously.

The teenager couldn't help smiling slightly as he asked, "Tell her what?"

"That you're L."

A very loud gasp was heard from the other side of the room. Both boys' heads snapped towards the door. Lara was standing in the doorframe, her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide with shock.

The siblings stared at Ryuuzaki, waiting for his next move…

** Note: **So, yeah, I'm posting this now before I proof read it again for the umpteenth time Jeez, I drive myself crazy sometimes...

I hope you enjoyed this action packed, heart-stopping, jaw-dropping chapter! (yeah, so i'm exaggerating a bit, so sue me ;P).

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I loved recieving all of them and hope you all find this chapter worthy enough for submitting more.

REVIEW! please. :)


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

"What…?" Lara said, her mouth hanging open slightly in shock. She chuckled to herself, shaking her head, "Come on, Neats, he's not L… Right?" She looked at Ryuuzaki, her eyebrows knit together. He looked back at her but didn't reply.

His eyes rolled up to the ceiling as he avoided looking at her.

"Y-you really are L, aren't you?" Lara said, her voice getting louder as she stepped into the room, frowning. "Ryuuzaki?"

"I didn't want anyone to know, Ms Lara," he replied evenly, still not meeting her gaze as he chewed on his thumb, "I wanted to have a chance to observe the kids without them being influenced by my identity." An eerie silence fell over the room as Lara stared at Ryuuzaki, her face slowly darkening as she realized just what he meant.

"Neats, come here," she said quietly. Near, regardless of the fact that he was nearly halfway across the room, heard her clearly as his eyes shifted from the detective near him to his sister.

"But I want to finish my chess game, Lali…" he mumbled, twirling a lock of hair in his fingers as he looked away as well.

"Neats!" Lara snapped, "Get over here, now! I am _not_ asking." Near shuffled in his seat uncomfortably, but didn't move otherwise. Lara's gaze sharpened harshly, and she was about to bark at him once more when Ryuuzaki cut in.

"With all due respect, Ms Lara," he said, now frowning as he looked back down to her, "little Near should have the choice to stay here and finish this game if he wants."

"Shut up," Lara bit back harshly as Ryuuzaki's eyes widened in surprise at her remark. She turned back to Near who was avoiding her gaze wearily, "Neats, _come here_."

Near looked from Lara to Ryuuzaki, feeling at a complete loss of what to do. He wanted to talk to L more, but…

"Ms Lara," Ryuuzaki said more firmly, "You can't…"

"Do _not_ tell me what I can and cannot do, _L_," she growled back at him. "_I_ am his sister and he _will_ do what I tell him to do." For once Ryuuzaki seemed to be at a loss for words, completely taken aback at this fierce demeanor in the formerly pleasant girl he had taken a liking to. She turned back to Near, gritting her teeth, "Come _here_."

"But…" Near began.

"_Nathaniel River_, you will _come here_ if you know what is good for you," she flared, clenching her fists angrily. Near's eyes widened at the rare use of his full name, a taboo in the orphanage for the prospective heirs of the alias 'L.' He slid off his seat quietly, understanding that he had no choice in the manner. He walked toward his sister quietly, his small face in a frustrated pout as he hurried past her and out the door. She didn't seem to care, however, as her gaze was still pinned on Ryuuzaki. The anger she was lashing out at him was intense, but he received it with a calmly dark demeanor.

"Stay away from him, L," she said as she turned. Without a second glance she walked out the door, leaving the detective alone in the empty room with a half-finished game of chess.

-

"Lali, why did you do that?" Near yelled angrily at her as he stomped his foot. "I wanted to…"

"I don't care, Nate," she bit back. "You are to stay away from L, alright? I do not want to see you talking to him. Ever." She watched as he bit back his anger, his usually stoic eyes livid with emotion. He let out a frustrated yell before running onto the bed, throwing himself on it and burying his head in a pillow.

"Throw a fit if it'll make you feel better," Lara yelled so he could hear her, "You're still not going to change my mind!"

Near kicked his small feet furiously as he yelled back in a muffled voice, "I hate you!"

"I don't care!" she snapped back.

"I hate you, I hate you!" he kept yelling. She could hear his muffled sobs now as well, but steeled herself so she wouldn't rush to comfort him as she usually did.

"I want to talk to L!" he continued. "I want to be L! I want to be a detective! That's why I'm here! I want to find out who killed my mom and dad!"

"That's a job for the police! I won't let my little brother get involved with criminals and killers! You are not going to be L!"

"Why not? Why not? I want to! I want to…!" He was crying now, his feet no longer kicking as his energy began to die down. "I'm going to find all the bad guys and I'll make sure they get locked up! That's what L does! That's what I'm gonna do!"

"I don't want you to! You don't need to! You hear me, Nate?"

Near threw the pillow away as fiercely as his four-year-old arms could. He sat up and glared at Lara, and was about to yell back when he realized she was crying as well, her face wet and her eyes red with all the anger gone from her face. His retort died down as she ran to him and wrapped her arms around him, lifting him into her lap as she cradled him and cried into his pajamas.

"Please don't, Nate," she sobbed, "I don't want to lose you, too. Please don't…"

Near remained silent as she rocked both of them back and forth in rhythm with her broken cries. After a moment he reached up and wrapped his arms around her neck as tightly as he could. Now he couldn't help crying once more.

"It's okay, Lali," he blubbered, scared for his sister. "I won't be L if you don't want me to, okay? I'll be something else, okay, Lali?"

She didn't reply, but a new wave of emotion flooded her as her cries regained momentum. He felt panic well within him as he started bawling again. He cried with her, letting her continue to rock him as he felt a wet spot grow on his back.

"Don't cry…"

-

Ryuuzaki sipped his tea morbidly, his expression unusually somber as he sat in an empty sitting room with a tea tray on the small coffee table before him. He looked up, considering his options in dealing with Lara and Near. He wanted to observe Near more, seeing as he was the most likely candidate to succeed him so far, but if his sister was so adamant about keeping him away, then…

He perked his head up at the sound of someone opening the door. To his surprise, Near walked in, his dark eyes pinned on Ryuuzaki as he made his way closer to the detective. He stopped in front of him silently as Ryuuzaki stared back.

"You shouldn't be here, little Near," Ryuuzaki said dryly as he sipped his tea and lowered his eyelids detachedly. Near didn't reply, but his expression hardened.

"You're going to go talk to my sister now, Ryuuzaki," he said clearly, his small voice strangely fierce.

Ryuuzaki didn't respond to the child's character, however, "I don't think that would be a good idea, considering Ms Lara's reaction earlier this afternoon."

"I don't care," Near replied, "You're going to go talk to her," He balled his fists, "And you're going to be nice to her, Ryuuzaki, because if you're not, then I'll tell everyone that you're L."

This made Ryuuzaki pause and consider the boy out of the corner of his eye. It was really a rather natural course of action, to blackmail him like that. If the other children found out he was L, his entire trip would be ruined. In fact, it'd ruin any chance of testing them without any outside influences. He frowned, putting down his cup in its saucer and resting it on the table.

"What do you expect me to say, little Near?" he said, not bothering to hide his exasperation.

"That you're sorry," Near replied simply. Ryuuzaki gazed at him curiously as he chewed on his thumb. He sighed, lowering his head so it was almost hidden behind his knees, then stood up abruptly, his back turned to Near.

"Where is she?" he asked simply.

"In our room." Ryuuzaki strode out of the room silently, his hands shoved in his pockets as he made his way down the hall.

Near watched the teen disappear, then glanced at the tea service. He grabbed a few sugar cubes and popped them in his mouth, plopping down on the ground and sucking on them silently as he waited.

-

Lara sighed heavily, lying in bed as she watched the shadows stretch across the floor. The sun was setting slowly as evening came. She rolled over onto her stomach, wondering where Nate had gone to. She had fallen asleep with him in her arms, but that was a few hours ago.

A loud knock on the door snapped her out of her reverie. Wondering who would be calling, she got up to go open it. Once she did, she suppressed her surprise to glower at her visitor.

"What do you want?" she frowned, leaning on the doorsill. Ryuuzaki sighed.

"Little Near asked me to come talk to you," he replied. She narrowed her eyes at him, but motioned for him to come in. She shut the door as he passed, then strode to the bed and sat down, looking at Ryuuzaki expectantly.

"What do you want to say?" she asked.

"I'd rather not say anything," he shrugged. "Although I suppose little Near would like me to apologize."

"Ah," she said with a knowing smirk, "Well now, it's obvious what you should do, Ryuuzaki: apologize, get my trust again, and eventually convince Nate to take up your offer." Ryuuzaki's somber expression didn't change as she snorted, crossing her legs and leaning back. "Tell me, if that doesn't work, how many other backup plans do you have buzzing through that head of yours?"

"Whatever happens inside my head is my business alone, Ms Lara," Ryuuzaki frowned. "And it would honestly be better for the both of us if you stopped acting so childishly and talked decently."

"Why so defensive, Ryuuzaki?" she jeered. "You have me in a vulnerable position, and that's why I'm biting and hissing so much, but what about you?" She cocked an eyebrow, "Do you feel threatened?"

"Even if I was, I wouldn't make it as obvious as you are doing it now," he replied stoically.

"I'm perfectly aware of that," she shrugged.

"If you are so aware of this, why do you still take on such a predictable demeanor?"

"Because I'm human," she bit back.

"Are you insinuating I'm not?"

She was silent for a moment before replying, "You can't be. Someone like you can't allow themselves to be human."

"Why do you say that?"

"You know why, it's obvious even now." She turned away, "Feelings expose weakness, and you've been reckless so far. Best to forget all about them, no?"

"You make it seem as if I'm some trained robot," Ryuuzaki replied coldly, "As if I accept the situation I'm in so dumbly."

"You accept this, but you still act so predictably?" she asked, echoing his earlier words.

He blinked, hesitating for only a second before he answered, "I act this way because I want to."

She shook her head, running her fingers through her hair as she laughed rather bitterly, "That's the crux of my dilemma, you see." She peered at him through her fingers, "You people _always_ want to do what you do." She turned her body towards him, her face determined, "Prove to me that you _are_ human. Show me that a tool for the police can still be real."

He lowered his head a fraction of an inch, his bangs shadowing his eyes as he quietly considered her question, his thumb resting on his lip. He finally answered, "I am not a tool, not for anyone but perhaps myself."

"It doesn't matter if you think that, because they don't." She sighed, "What do you think will happen when you finally die or someone kills you? Do you think they'll even bat an eye? That's why this orphanage is here; it's to make you easily replaceable."

"Fighting for justice is my passion," he replied sharply. "I would want for someone to carry on my legacy so readily. _That_ is the reason for this orphanage."

"But at what price?" she asked, her voice rising. "And how can you ever push such a heavy burden on a child who doesn't know better?"

"Near is a smart boy," he replied. "He knows what he wants."

"He is a child," she said forcefully as she rose. "He doesn't know what he wants. Does anyone ever do?"

"I do."

She grimaced, then walked to the window, looking out it at the receding sunlight, "Of course. You're a genius. You're smart enough to figure out what you want."

"Is that so hard to believe?" His anger flashed through his words, clearly discernable.

"Yes." She turned and faced him, their eyes locking.

"And just how, may I ask, did you come to that conclusion with only three weeks of observation?" he retorted angrily, stepping forward.

"Oh, as if you haven't done the same thing," she snapped back, also shrinking the distance between them. "What gives _you_ the right?"

"I'm…" but Ryuuzaki was cut off.

"You're smarter than me, right? You understand the situation better? Is that it?"

He clenched his fists, "I am able to look at the situation objectively, something _you_ refuse to do."

"Ha! As if you're being so objective now! You're hardly keeping in your anger!" He bit back his last retort, seething down at her now that he was standing up at his full height. They had unwittingly been stepping forward, so that their faces were only inches apart.

"You're letting yourself be provoked by a common girl," she continued, prodding him with her finger. "Why is that, Ryuuzaki? Have I managed to strike a nerve? Just how badly do you want to pummel me right now?"

"My standards of common decency are all that are keeping me from physically striking you, Ms Lara," he nearly growled, his wide eyes now narrowed dangerously.

"Then why don't you?" she exclaimed, now shoving him back roughly. "Huh? Why don't you just whack me and get it over with?" She shoved him once more, making him stumble backwards. "Am I such a pathetic creature that it would be un_just_ for you to hit me?" His bangs covered his eyes once more, but his clenched teeth and tense muscles were more than enough to expose the mounting fury within him.

"Come now, Ryuuzaki," she laughed, "You must've figured it out by now, right? It's completely rational for you to strike back, since I'm the one that's threatening you. Tell me, just what is stopping you? Are you a good little doggy that only attacks when ordered?"

That finally seemed to push him over the edge as he finally shoved back. She stumbled with the force, but he grabbed her shoulders and kept pushing her back until he had pinned her against the opposite wall, his grip tight on her shoulders.

He was breathing heavily as he said, "No, I am not a robot. I am not the trained dog you think I am. You've been playing with my emotions, and I am very angry, but I'm also…" He was shaking, his head bowed as she stared at him calmly. She bit her bottom lip, attempting to remain bitterly cold, but finding it harder to do so.

"You're what?" she asked, noticing the tremor in her own voice.

He paused, his shaggy head falling ever so slightly, "I don't know…"

"Ryuuzaki, I'm…." She exhaled softly, then allowed the room to settle back into tense silence. After a moment, she smiled sardonically to herself, looking away, "I'm glad."

Another pause, then she reached up and gingerly stroked his cheek with her fingertips, then cupped his face in her hands. "I'm glad you're not a drone. I'm glad you're angry. And I'm sorry." His expression was still distant, but he lifted his head.

"As am I," he muttered. "I should have respected you enough to tell you why I really came to the orphanage." He finally looked at her, his eyes troubled, but she just smiled as she ran her thumb over his cheekbone. He blinked in surprise, as if just realizing that she was holding his face.

He released her shoulders shakily, then followed her arms up to her hands, gently taking them off himself and bringing them down, the shock of the situation beginning to settle on him. She twisted her hands to be able to grasp his properly, then intertwined her fingers in his.

"You're a good person, Ryuuzaki," she whispered, "but you frighten me." He was silent, his mind buzzing as he looked down at their hands. "I'm scared of the future you're offering my brother; I'm scared of what will become of me once that happens." Her eyes flickered up to his. "And I'm scared of what you may mean to me." She could feel his surprise as his hands tightened their grip for a moment, before slacking. She let them go, crossing her arms as he put his hands in his pockets.

This would be the moment where he would move aside and let her pass, but he lingered in front of her, looking around him with uncertainty and avoiding her gaze. She watched him, then opened her arms and moved forward, wrapping them around his torso as she pressed her face into his chest.

She felt him stiffen with shock, then finally gingerly lift his hands and placed them on her back. After another moment, he held her properly and tightened his embrace, pushing them closer together.

They held each other for an unknown amount of time, then simultaneously came apart. He stepped back and she walked into the middle of the room. They were both seriously shaken and didn't turn to look at each other.

Finally, Lara sighed heavily and swiveled on her foot. Ryuuzaki turned his head slightly to look at her.

She smiled broadly. "I'm going to go find my little brother," she said hoarsely, as if she hadn't used her voice in a while. She cleared her throat, let out a shaky breath in an attempt to gather herself, then walked out without another word.

After a silent minute with himself, Ryuuzaki mirrored her actions and stepped into the hall. His hands were still trembling as he headed to the kitchen, hoping that a sugar fix would finally calm them down.

-

Near amused himself with a small toy car as he sat on Lara's lap. She was stroking his hair, leaning down to kiss his head every now and then. Normally he would object to such overabundant expressions of sisterly love, but he could tell something was wrong with Lara.

She had found him where Ryuuzaki had left him, sucking on sugar cubes. Instead of scolding him, however, she smiled and picked him up, hugging him fondly. He could feel the shivers still running through her body and wondered what could have scared her so much.

Later, as he was walking to the bathroom down the hall, he noticed Ryuuzaki was sitting in the sitting room, his legs drawn up as usual with the computer open before him. Instead of gazing intently at the screen, however, he was resting his forehead against his knees, completely unaware of his observer with his face completely hidden.

Now, Lara had declared it bedtime and turned off the lights. Lying in the dark and attempting to go to sleep, he turned towards his sister. His eyes had by now adjusted to the light, and he reached for his sister's hand easily, wrapping his fingers around her index finger. He heard her exhale, then felt her stroke the back of his hand with her thumb gently.

"Lali?" he asked with a whisper.

"Hm? What is it, love?" she asked rather drowsily.

"What happened between you and Ryuuzaki?"

There was a moment of silence before Lara answered, "What do you mean, Neats?"

"I saw him earlier, and he was all distracted." Then he added truthfully, "And you seem scared, Lali."

She took a moment to answer once again, "Maybe I am, love, or maybe I'm just being silly." They lay quietly before she asked, "You really want to be the next 'L,' don't you?"

Near couldn't see her expression clearly in the dark. "Yes…" he said rather guiltily. He wasn't sure, but he thought she was smiling. She reached up and stroked his cheek.

"You know I love you, and I hope you know I'll support you in whatever it is you want to do," she said with a smile in her voice. Then she pinched his check gently, as he had seen crusty aunts do so to their nephews on the telly, "But you'll always be my little Neats, and I'll always be there to make sure you don't end up a sugar addicted spider like Ryuuzaki."

"What if I move to Japan?" he asked, pouting as she lay her hand down.

She chuckled, "You're forgetting that mum taught me a bit of Japanese a while ago, and I still remember it. I'll have no problem living there."

"Mongolia?"

"Imagine the snowmen we could build. They'd be huge."

"Africa?"

"Someone has to be there to scare off the lions, Neats."

"Are you gonna follow me _everywhere_?" he mumbled.

She laughed, tapping his nose gently, "In some way or another, love, I'll be there."

"Don't blame me if you end up old and lonely."

"Hoh!" she chuckled at his audacity. "And who says I can't get married in Africa or Mongolia?"

"Well, I don't know about there, but in Japan you could only marry Ryuuzaki."

"Aw, give him more credit."

He was silent for a moment, and she thought he had finally drifted to sleep, but then his tiny voice rose once more, "…Lali?"

"Hm?"

"Do you love him?"

She chuckled, and he heard her take in a deep breath and exhale loudly. She leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead before saying, "Sleepy time, Neats, it's late."

He snorted with annoyance at her obvious avoidance of the question. When he tried to ask her once more, she only pretended to snore loudly. He finally gave up huffily, then tucked in.

He slept, and he dreamed.

He dreamed they were in Africa, and Lali was chasing the lions away.

He smiled.

* * *

**Note:**

I FEEL AWFUL. People kept asking me when I'd update… you guys are so cool… TT.TT

Bah, you wanna know why I took so long to update? (No.) Pfft, fine, I'll tell you anyway. Well, I was rather disappointed with the last chapter, and didn't like how so much was revealed at once. They were too cozy with each other. This one's added some more tension :)

I realized a while ago that my Near is too young. I dunno why, but I refused to think of Near as anything older than 12 or 13, at most, in the manga, and now it turns out he's 15! zomg its crazy!! (has anyone gotten the thirteenth volume scanlated yet?) Sorry about that, and I would edit it, but Near is so cute when he's little… Besides, a lot of what he does wouldn't make sense if he was seven or eight years old.

'Tis a fanfic, no? Anything goes! Sort of…

And I apologize for my lousy fake British accents. Ugh. :P

LEAVE A REVIEW. Cuz the last ones were amazing and you all make this little fangirl so happy…


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

"Ah, hello, Ryuuzaki," Lara grinned from behind the wall of snow. Near peeked out beside her, his pale face and white hair only visible because of the bright blue beanie screwed onto his head.

"AH HA!" Mello yelled, chucking a snowball at the siblings. Lara and Near quickly ducked down as it smashed into their small fort.

"Cheap shot!" Lara yelled from the shelter, "We were talking to Ryuuzaki!"

"This is war!" Mello yelled back, "No time outs!" In response, Lara jumped up and hurled her own projectile at the boys. Mello ducked, but Matt simply stared blankly at Lara as the snowball flew several feet over his head. He smirked.

"Ha! You're a lousy shot!" Mello yelled out victoriously, popping up beside Matt.

Lara scowled, her face reddening, then turned to Ryuuzaki. "You're either with us or against us," she said. "What'll it be?"

Ryuuzaki considered for a moment before turning and heading back inside, "I'm for a hot cup of cocoa."

"Bah, suit yourself," Lara snorted, turning back to the game. Ryuuzaki stood at the doorstep for a moment, watching the two teams lobby more insults towards each other. Lara seemed to be completely enthralled in the game, and he slipped inside without further pretext.

After having settled into the room Mr. Roger had provided for him, Ryuuzaki made himself comfortable in the sitting room with a steaming cup of cocoa in his hand. He nestled into his favorite arm chair, legs drawn up, as he sipped his drink thoughtfully.

Well, he was back at the Wammy house on holiday. This would be the first Christmas he celebrated since he still lived here so many years ago. Of course, he was here to further his quest to find a successor, but there was one other reason.

-

"Will that be all, Master Ryuuzaki?" Mr. Roger asked politely as the detective stood by the window, chewing his thumb absentmindedly.

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Roger," he replied without turning his gaze.

The older man nodded, "Watari should be here soon with the car, so I'll just excuse myself. If you need anything else, just call." He left as Ryuuzaki watched a breeze sway the leaves of a large oak in the yard. It was a beautiful late-summer day, a time when the very earth seemed to give its all to make up for the coming fall. He scratched his foot idly, moving restlessly to another window. He heard the front door click open, and as the voices filtered into the room he mentally berated Watari for not arriving earlier.

Of course, if he had really wanted to leave without facing the two siblings, he could have made better accommodations himself.

His brow furrowed, his gaze pinned deliberately at the window away from the doorway. He would prefer to be left alone, but he knew a big part of him was really hoping she would walk in.

"Oh, hey, Ryuuzaki."

He exhaled, realizing he had been waiting with baited breath. He turned to Lara, seeing that she was carrying Near piggy back style just as she had done when they went to the park.

"What are you up to?" she smiled cheerfully.

"I'm just waiting for Watari to get here so we can get to the airport," Ryuuzaki replied, looking away easily, "I'm afraid it's about time I got back to work."

There was a moment of silence as Lara looked at him with mild surprise. Near, endowed with a sibling's intuition, fidgeted as a means of asking his sister to let him down.

"I'm tired, Lali," he said, sliding off as she leaned down, "I'm gonna go take a nap." He ran down the hall, hardly giving her time to acknowledge his statement.

She watched him disappear, wondering what had gotten into the small boy.

"Huh," she smirked, "He's rather energetic for being tired, don't you think?" She looked at Ryuuzaki, who only stared back placidly. She exhaled with a huff, crossing her arms.

"Okay, Ryuuzaki," she said, "Is there a reason you didn't happen to mention you were leaving for the past few days?"

He shrugged, "I didn't consider it relevant information." She frowned at him.

"You can be a real prat, you know that?" She glowered. He blinked, keeping his nervousness from surfacing. He really didn't want to leave on bad terms, which is why he was hoping to leave without a confrontation.

"I would have contacted you if I had not seen you before I left," he said, as if hoping to appease her. She snorted, kicking her foot before walking up to him.

"Ryuuzaki," she took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He expected her to be angry, but instead she looked up with a good-natured smile. "Well, I don't exactly know how your schedule works, but you're welcome back for any of the holidays, you know."

She looked up thoughtfully, "Christmas is especially fun here, and there's always plenty of snow." He blinked, surprised. There was an insidious undertone to her statement, and the phrase "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" came to his mind. Regardless, the easy smile on her face was a welcome sight compared to what he was expecting.

He was genuinely surprised.

And he laughed.

Well, it was more like a series of chuckles, but for a guy who didn't often find reasons to laugh it was quite the occasion.

She was grinning at him.

"Perhaps I will," he finally said, still smiling. Her grin widened, and she leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"I suppose I'll see you later then," she said, walking away with a laugh as he blinked owlishly with astonishment. "Have a good trip!" And with a final wave she had disappeared from the doorway.

He listened to the sounds of her receding steps, then reached up and gingerly placed his fingertips on his cheek.

On the drive to the airport, Watari kept glancing curiously at his charge from the rearview mirror, wondering why the young man was in such a good mood.

-

"Ahh, warmth!" Lara exclaimed happily as she and Near ran inside, shutting the large wooden doors behind them. Their cheeks were rosy from the cold, making the young boy who almost never blushed look curiously jovial.

After dropping off their things in their room, they walked into the sitting room.

"So," Lara said, settling onto the couch with Near on her lap, "How's work been, Ryuuzaki?"

"Fine," he replied with a shrug. "Although things have been rather dull, really."

"Isn't that a good thing?" she asked.

"Ah, good point."

"Hey, Ryuuzaki," Near said, catching the young man's attention. "Wanna build a block fort with me?"

"Alright," Ryuuzaki replied, obviously pleased with the invitation. Near slipped off Lara's lap.

"We can build it in the second toy room," Near said, leading the way to the door as Ryuuzaki got up, "And if you're around then Mello won't come and destroy it."

"Does he do that often?" Ryuuzaki asked.

"It's okay, 'cause I always beat him at chess," Near replied, nonplussed.

"Ah." Ryuuzaki turned to look at Lara, who was still sitting on the couch, "And you, Ms Lara? Care to join us?"

She smiled, getting up breezily, "I'm afraid I can't; got a couple of chores I need to finish up." She headed to the opposite door that led to the kitchen, "I'll see you guys later, okay?" She slipped off as Ryuuzaki stood with Near.

He was almost certain she would come. She did, after all, seem to genuinely enjoy playing with her little brother, but on top of that he thought she'd be willing to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't make any L-related comments.

"She's had a lot of chores recently," Near shrugged, now running to the foot of the stairs. "Are you coming or not?" Ryuuzaki nodded, then followed the young boy, a distant expression still on his face.

-

"Do you like coming here?" Near asked, building a wall of blocks in front of him as Ryuuzaki worked on the opposite side of the yet-to-be-built castle.

"I suppose I do," he replied. "It's pleasant enough."

"Lali can't wait to leave," Near said.

"Yes, I remember her saying such the last time I visited." Ryuuzaki glanced at the young boy, "Has she made enough money to move the both of you out?"

Near shrugged, "I dunno." Examining a block with peculiar engrossment, he added, "We're having stew tonight, you know." He looked up, almost purposely, at Ryuuzaki, "It's really not that bad."

Ryuuzaki blinked at the sudden change in topic, "Ah, it's good to have something warm after being outside in the cold so much."

"Yeah, especially because of Mello." He wrinkled his nose. "Even after we stopped playing he'd still throw snowballs at us. Lali ended up picking him up and throwing him into the snowman he'd destroyed because it took us a really long time to build it. After that he stopped annoying us."

"I see." Ryuuzaki replied. Although Near had initiated a conversation about his sister, he seemed more than willing to let it wander. Something seemed off.

"Hey guys, it's time for dinner," Lara called from the doorway, wearing an apron. "Come on, Neats, time to wash up."

"'Kay," Near answered, getting up and running out the room towards the bathroom.

Lara smiled at Ryuuzaki, "Coming?"

Ryuuzaki got up, stuffing his hands into his pockets before turning to look at Lara, "Aren't you going to take your little brother out to eat? It's what you do on Saturdays, after all, isn't it?"

"Oh, we don't do that anymore," Lara smiled flippantly. "Ah, if you want a good seat at the table, you'd better hurry. Most of us have already reserved the best ones for ourselves." She smiled at him before leaving the room as the gears in Ryuuzaki's mind started to churn.

At dinner, he observed that even though he and Lara ended up sitting relatively near to each other, she almost exclusively talked only to her little brother. Feeling slightly piqued and put out, he retired back to the sitting room, pulling out the laptop he kept in the bag by the armchair. A little while later kids were still running around inside, playing for an extra hour since bedtime was pushed back for holiday.

He didn't see Lara, Near, or pretty much anyone else for the rest of the night. Working diligently as he scanned the international news, hoping to find a new case of interest, the hours passed by and the house fell quiet.

Around twelve, finally admitting defeat, he shut the computer with a forceful click. Feeling irate at the fact that most criminal masterminds were taking the holidays off as well, he got up and strolled into the kitchen.

Eating a handful of cookies he had picked up, he wandered into the hallway. He was hardly tired, as usual, but felt even more restless than he normally did in his own room.

After a thoughtful moment in which he finished off his handful of cookies, he decided to head to the toy room. A puzzle or a game of chess with himself could keep him occupied for a bit; at least until he found something better to do.

Heading upstairs, he turned in the direction of the room he and Near had been in earlier that day. Slightly surprised at seeing a light on further down the hall, he decided to investigate.

In the library, Lara was curled up in an armchair with a blanket around her, apparently engaged in a book she was reading by the light on the side table.

Ryuuzaki blinked, standing by the doorway.

"Up so late, Ms Lara?" he asked, making the young woman jump with surprise. After nearly having dropped her book, she looked at Ryuuzaki with a slightly jostled look.

She smiled sheepishly, "Jeez, I thought you were a ghost or something for a second."

"Isn't it irrational for a girl your age to believe in such things?" he asked plainly.

She smirked, but it seemed as if something in her demeanor suddenly changed.

"Yeah, I guess," she shrugged, looking down at the book in her lap, "I was just surprised."

"Ah."

She looked up at him, "So, what's up?" She began to pick at the corner of the book, looking at him expectantly.

"Nothing really," he said. "I was just downstairs working when I got bored. I was hoping to find something to pass the time with up here." He cocked his head slightly, his thumb going to his lips, "Have you been reading long?"

She nodded, "Ever since bedtime." She looked away, "Um, I usually like to read alone, you know?"

"Indeed," he nodded slightly, his eyes blank. "Do you also prefer to do your homework alone now as well?" She paused for a moment, not meeting his eyes, but didn't answer.

He casually slipped his hands into his pockets. "Why have you been avoiding me all evening?" he asked.

She snorted, "I haven't been avoiding you."

"Yes you have."

She looked up at him now, her eyes hard in the half light, but remained silent once again.

"And why are you not allowed out anymore?" he queried, his face as flat as her expression.

"Things have changed," she shrugged, shifting her legs beneath her slightly.

"I noticed," he said. "This time, little Near is the more amiable one; quite the reversal of roles." She rested her elbow on the armrest, setting her chin on the palm of her hand and hiding her mouth with her fingers. She gazed steadily at him with a chilly expression.

"Sorry," she said frankly. He bit down on his thumbnail, his head falling slightly but his gazed still pinned on her.

"Why did you ask me to come back?"

She blinked, "I did, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," he was getting tired of her indifferent attitude.

"Does it matter?"

Frustration mounted within him; he couldn't remember the last time he was so irritated at someone.

Actually, he could, and she was sitting right in front of him. Why was this girl so able to push his buttons?

"I was hoping to come back to find a friend, Ms Lara," he said, a tinge of anger getting through his filter of emotions.

"Oh," she said, leaning back and shrugging, "Shame. What a waste of a trip."

He grit his teeth, visibly angry now.

Glaring at her, he bit back, "It's not a waste. I do plan on finding my successor."

He turned and left the room quickly before he really lost it. Fists clenched, it took a surprising amount of control to keep from stamping his feet or taking his anger out on the furniture. It really had been a long time since he felt such a childish rage.

Lara sat in the now silent library, beneath the unspoken words he had left hanging before her: "And Near is my most likely candidate."

She couldn't concentrate on her book anymore, not only because there was a flurry of emotions bombarding her, but because her shaking hands made the words difficult to read.

* * *

Okay, few things to say that are vaguely related to this fic: 

Ignore any past references of Ryuuzaki being a teenager, 'CAUSE HE'S NOT! He's 23 years old (in this fic). Can you believe that? Craaaazy! Ah, I don't count this as a spoiler or anything because it really has no relevance to the manga story line :)

Also: Episode 25 of the Death Note anime. IT HAPPENED! SHIT! GOD DAMMIT! You know, you always kind of hope someone will pop in and say "psyche! fooled ya!" in these kinds of situations. Gaah, it was a wonderful episode, although the foot massage and Misa's solo were rather pontless and unnecessary. Anyways, watch it if you haven't. In fact, watch the anime if you haven't, 'cause it's wonderful and is like the manga was animated word for word with random goth music thrown in. Not a lot of extra spoof, although there was some in ep 25...

Yup, I'm digressing.

Hm, anything else? Huh... oh, right: YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! I love all your reviews. Yaaay, reviews! You have no idea how much each one means to me. Regardless of the content (although they're all lovely :D) I'm so happy people are just reading this fic! So, even if you just say "blah, i'm reading lol" leave a review so I can be like "omg thx lawlz!"

Oh, and sorry if this chapter seemed too sudden. I'm trying to keep this fic from getting too long winded, or else I'll get bored and stop writing, and I reaaally don't want that to happen.

Hope ya liked it!


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

* * *

"Laali," Near groaned sleepily in his sister's stranglehold. "Gerroff me…." She merely grunted in reply, showing that she still wasn't really awake. He sighed heavily, then began a determined attempt to wriggle out of her grasp. 

She made some indecipherable noise and let go of him immediately, turning to her other side then groping for a nearby pillow blindly with her hand. Finally having located one, she wrapped her arms around it and promptly fell back to sleep.

Near looked at her with a degree of annoyance, but he shrugged it off and slipped down from the bed and out the room.

Once in the hall, he could hear the sounds of the bleary orphans getting up and going to breakfast. He ran to the dining room and swiped a few pieces of toast from the table, then, munching them, he decided to go find Ryuuzaki.

The young detective was perched in his usual armchair and was busy plopping sugar cube after sugar cube into his tea cup. He didn't seem to notice the white-haired child as he gazed lazily into the distance.

Unexpectedly, he said, "Good morning, little Near," without even shifting his gaze. Near was nonplussed, however and simply responded to the formality.

"Good morning, Ryuuzaki," he said as he nibbled on an edge of dry toast, "Did you sleep well?"

"No," the detective replied, "You?"

Near shook his head, "Lali kept waking me up with her hugs. She gets really huggy when she's depressed, or…" He snapped his mouth shut at Ryuuzaki's curious look.

"I think Lali and I are gonna go ice skating today," Near said as he began to twirl a lock of white hair with a free hand nonchalantly. "Wanna come?" He completley disregarded the detective's pointed look, switching subjects easily.

Ryuuzaki returned to the building of the small sugar monument within his cup, "That may not be such a reasonable idea, little Near."

Near cocked his head to the side, frowning, "Why not?"

"It seems Ms Lara would prefer to have nothing to do with me these days," the detective replied plainly. "It would be for the best if we simply avoided each other."

Near stared at him, frowning, "Huh? What'd you do to make her mad?"

A flash of annoyance passed through Ryuuzaki's eyes at the suggestion that he was to blame. "I don't know, Little Near. Your sister is one of the hardest people to reason with when her mind is set, so it's difficult to get information from her." He stirred his tea glumly, "The last time she was like this, it was because she wanted to protect you. Perhaps she is trying to do the same now as well?"

He looked up, thoughtful, for a moment, but only gave a resound snort as he picked up his cup, "Oh well, there's really no point in me wasting time trying to figure out a woman who seems to hate the very air I breathe."

After taking a sip, he looked at Near owlishly, "Of course, I don't mind you, little Near, and would very much like to have another chess match with you sometime." Near had a faraway look, however, as he turned and walked back out of the room without answering.

Ryuuzaki blinked, stirring his sugary slush as he vaguely wondered if something had gotten under the boy's skin.

* * *

"It's pretty crowded today, Neats," Lara said as she tied her laces, "We'd better stick together." Her little brother didn't reply as he concentrated on fastening his own skates to his feet. 

Finally, he stood up shakily and hobbled to the opening of the rink.

"Neats!" he heard his sister exclaim as she followed. "I told you we need to stay together, don't just go off like that."

"I can skate by myself, Lali," he replied as he stepped onto the ice.

She huffed angrily, going and taking his hand as she also entered the rink. "Here, take my hand until you get used to it."

He shook her off, "I wanna do this myself." She looked taken aback as he began to push himself forward. Unsure of what to do, she glided behind him, making sure no one else knocked into him.

"You don't have to follow me," he said, still concentrating on his task.

She arched her eyebrows, "What? I'm not following you. I'm just having a grand time skating is all. Do you mind?"

He frowned, and she could see his little fists clench beneath his mittens, "I'm fine, I don't need your help."

"Who said you did?"

He urged himself to go faster, holding his arms out for balance. As he sped up, however, he could still feel her hovering behind him.

"Go away!" he yelled, waving his arms in a moment of ungainliness.

"Neats, don't go so fast or you'll fall," she said, a frown audible in her voice.

"No I won't," he pouted, defiantly going faster.

"Neats!" she exclaimed.

"Just go somewhere else already!" he yelled, turning his head to glare at her.

"Neats, watch out!" He didn't have time to register her warning as he slammed full on to the siding of the rink. The air was knocked out of him as he fell on his back, feeling the cold of the half-melted ice begin to seep into his clothes.

"Neats!" Lara said frantically, bending down to look at him. Other people skating by cast worried looks on the pair, avoiding them cautiously.

"Come on now, up," she smiled, picking him up. He dizzily attempted to slap her hands away.

"Leave me alone!" he cried, tears welling in his eyes from the shock of falling.

She frowned, then quickly scooped him up into her arms, skating to the exit as he flailed in retaliation.

On solid ground, she set him down and steadied him by his shoulders, looking straight into his black eyes as she sat on her haunches.

"Neats, what's wrong?" she asked, her brow furrowed. He said nothing as the tears ran down his cheeks. Her expression softened. "You okay?"

He shook his head, "I wanna go skate more."

She sighed with exasperation, "Hey, let's go get something warm to eat before you try again, okay?"

He shook his head more forcefully this time, "No, I wanna skate."

"Neats…"

The young boy didn't reply, too busy staring up at the man standing behind his sister.

"Hello, Lara," he said, a dark grin on his face.

* * *

Ryuuzaki sat, idly passing the time browsing the web on his laptop. He wiggled his toes, the contents of the screen wholly boring him as he reflected absent-mindedly on the day. 

He had spent it playing with some of the children, but none of them really managed to catch his attention other than Mello. That boy had such an explosive personality, however, and Ryuuzaki wasn't quite sure he could manage the title of 'L' responsibly.

He wished he had been able to play another game of chess with Near, but he had hardly seen the boy or his sister after his morning talk with him. They had come back from the ice skating rink, but their entrance had been rather troubling. Lara had been carrying Near as she ran inside and kicked off her shoes, then she bolted into their room and neither had yet to come out.

The young boy had been clutching to his sister tightly, as if scared, and Lara had been in such a rush that her face was a blur.

Before he could further develop his thoughts on the siblings, he heard a soft shuffling coming from the kitchen, then the unmistakable thump of the refrigerator door closing. Wondering who besides himself would be up at such an hour sneaking midnight snacks, he got up from his seat and went to investigate.

At the doorway, his eyes widened with mild surprise at the sight of Lara standing by the large island counter in the middle of the kitchen. She spotted him and frowned, but what really caught his attention was the bag of frozen peas she was holding to her face.

"I'm mad at you," she scowled, her visible eye narrowing.

Ryuuzaki blinked, walking to the island himself, "Mad? For what reason?"

"Neats told me about what you said to him this morning," she replied crossly. "It was a particularly barmy thing to say to a four year old, you know, since now he feels he's some kind of excess baggage in my life."

"I didn't mean any harm by what I said," he replied simply. "Although perhaps I could see how he could take it the wrong way."

She snorted, looking away. They were quiet for a moment before Ryuuzaki asked politely, "Why do you have a frozen bag of vegetables pressed to your eye, Ms Lara?" He was very offhand about it, regardless of the troubling prick of worry in the back of his mind.

"Figured it'd work faster than the microwave," she shrugged.

He blinked, then took a step closer to her as he reached out and pulled the bag from her grasp with the tips of his fingers. Setting it on the counter, his eyes widened more than usual at the site of her swollen and purple mottled eye.

"Mind if I have that back?" she asked quietly, almost shamefaced. He said nothing, but handed it back to her. She replaced it on her eye, avoiding his gaze. After a pause, he strode out of the room briskly.

She exhaled shakily, feeling her stomach clench with bitterness at her situation. She would've sorted through her thoughts more, but the detective promptly returned.

He set a small first aid kit on the table, flipping open the lid and taking out a small jar.

"Please remove the bag of vegetables, Ms Lara," he said simply, his face clear of any emotion. She looked at him in surprise, but complied with his request.

He began to dab the salve onto her swollen eye in a casual, almost indifferent, manner. She looked away rather dejectedly.

"Who did this to you?" Ryuuzaki asked, still intent on his task.

She sighed, glancing at him, "Ah, don't worry about that. He gave me a black eye, and I kicked him in the nads, so I suppose we're even." It was hard to avoid looking at him when he was staring intently at her face. "Um, he wanted something back, but I flushed it away a long time ago."

Ryuuzaki looked curious for a brief moment as their eyes met, but then closed the jar and put it back in the small box. He took an empty compress from the kit, then turned to the fridge. Taking out a tray of ice from the freezer, he emptied it out in the compress before closing it and handing it to Lara.

"Thanks," she mumbled, placing it over her eye.

"You're welcome," he replied. She looked at him tiredly, then slumped onto the counter, her chin resting on one of the many blue tiles.

"This is why I didn't want to talk to you," she mumbled.

"You thought I would punch you in the face?" he asked, deadpan. He had great practice in making facades, but she couldn't help feeling this bothered him more than he let on. "Do you really think I would do that?"

"Not necessarily," she said, frowning. "But you don't have to punch someone to make them hurt."

"No, you don't," he said, tapping his finger sharply on the counter.

"Don't get mad," she sighed.

Ryuuzaki blinked, looking at her, "Who said I was mad?"

"No one, it's just…" She trailed off, then snorted, "never mind." She shifted the compress on her face, resting her elbows on the counter, ignoring the tense silence.

"I'm sorry," she finally said awkwardly. "I—I was acting childish. I shouldn't have yelled at you, or ignored you, or…" She bit her bottom lip, avoiding his gaze as she waited for his response.

He thought for a moment, then replied, "It didn't take me entirely by surprise. You can be a very childish person when you're emotional."

Her face reddened, "Gee, thanks…"

"It's the truth."

"I know it's the truth," she snapped. Fuming, she fixed her stare on a small spot on the floor.

"Why were you so angry?" she heard him ask, his voice a murmur. She turned back to him worriedly. He was hiding his eyes behind his messy bangs, looking surprisingly vulnerable, she noted, of all things.

"I wasn't," she replied softly, then she shook her head, correcting herself, "I mean, I was, but not in the way you think."

She sighed heavily, her hand tightening around the cold compress. "I was mad at you for coming back, because it made me realize how much I…" She turned her head, coughing weakly into her hand as she dropped the last bit of her sentence. Ryuuzaki was tracing a circle with his free hand, apparently fascinated with the blue countertop.

"Why did you ask me to come back, Ms Lara?" he asked simply. She felt a pang of guilt, realizing how perplexing her actions had been.

"Because I—I enjoyed your company. But, you see, I have a reputation for liking very un-likeable fellows. And after this last one, well…" She rested her forehead on her upturned palm.

"None of my relationships end without my little brother or me in tears," she mumbled, "and I just don't want to have to go through that again."

She realized that Ryuuzaki had finally lifted his head, his eyes searching her as if to calm any misgivings.

"But I'm still not like them, Ms Lara," Ryuuzaki said finally.

Her expression wilted as she looked up at him, "I know, but you come with your own set of problems."

He blinked, his finger finding its way up to his lower lip. "In what way?"

She sighed heavily once more, holding her hand up and ticking off each thing she said, "One: you're not exactly a constant in my life, are you? I mean, you're not around very much, and you have a very risky job, which you are trying to recruit my brother for.

"I don't know the first thing about you; in fact, I'm not even sure 'Ryuuzaki' is your real name. So," she looked at him wearily, "how am I supposed to trust you?"

His regarded her coldly as his shoulders stiffened.

"Firstly," he said, standing straighter than his horrible posture usually allowed, "In this time and age, keeping contact with another, regardless of distance, is relatively easy with the help of constantly improving communications technology."

"But it's not the same," she interjected.

"Secondly," he said, ignoring her comment, "My job is risky, but I take the necessary precautions to protect myself, which does include having aliases. I don't want to die, Ms Lara."

"'Precautions' don't always work."

"And thirdly: we've discussed how I will go about 'recruiting' your brother. He will be 'L' only if he wants to. Also," he added, his black eyes burning into hers, "you don't know anything about me because you've never asked."

Regardless of the fact that she was very taken aback, she readily countered with a steady frown, "Okay, everything you just said doesn't exactly make it all hunky-dory. Things aren't so cut and dry, Ryuuzaki, especially in a relationship. Besides…" She cut herself off, her eyes widening with what looked like shock at a realization, drawing an inquisitive look from the detective.

"Besides," she finished, with a softer voice, looking at him critically, "what do you care?" There was a moment of silence as they stared at each other, neither betraying their respective emotions, or lack thereof.

"Isn't it obvious, Ms Lara?" he finally replied, biting down on his thumbnail.

"No, I mean…. Isn't this whole thing more one-sided than anything?"

He shifted his feet, his eyes wandering up, "No, it's not." He looked back at her. "I don't think you realize just how rarely I find someone whose company I particularly enjoy. Especially of the opposite sex." She blinked, wondering if this even counted as a romantic confession.

"But—but still, is it such a good idea for L to—to even consider such a thing?" she countered, her brow furrowed.

He rested his hand on the counter, looking up thoughtfully, "Yes, I suppose it wouldn't be the best course of action. But," his gaze shifted back to her, "I'm not just the detective L, Ms Lara."

She stared at him, her face flushed as she realized her heart was pounding. His black eyes didn't turn away from hers, and after a few moments of dumb founded silence, she smiled.

And then she laughed, "Could I get that in writing, please? I feel your declaration of affection should be properly filed away for future reference."

His face hardened, expressionless, "Are you mocking me?"

She looked panicked for a moment, waving her hands defensively, "N-no, I'm sorry, Ryuuzaki." She smiled sincerely at him. "You make 'I'm a rock' faces when you're nervous, and I tell corny jokes. It's just…" She trailed off lamely, biting her bottom lip nervously

He studied her for a moment before giving her an exasperated expression, "That really was a bad joke, Ms Lara, and awful timing."

Her face broke out into a smile, "Seeing as how you're pouty and all now, does that mean you're done interrogating me?" She set down the compress, her hands shaking, making Ryuuzaki wonder what she could be so nervous about.

"Yes, I suppose so," he said, smirking slightly as his gaze met hers.

"I'm glad you didn't get around to the polygraph test."

"Those are actually rather unreliable," he said. "Besides, I …"

He stopped and his eyes widened in utter shock.

She was kissing him.

As quickly as it had started, it ended. She leaned back, a shy smile on her red face.

He could feel a buzz of electricity running through his spine, and her grin widened at the red tint on his cheeks and the stunned look that was particularly foreign to his face.

This woman really could push his buttons.

"Ah, um, I figured it was about time, right?" she stuttered fretfully. "I-I don't suppose it was, er, unpleasant or anything…? And I'm sorry if it was…"

He rested a hand on the counter, using it to steady himself as he drew closer to her. She let her words die down and also leaned in to him, then placed her hand over his as she moved her body nearer to his.

Their faces hovered uncertainly, inches away from each others. They could feel the comfortable warmth of the other brush against their own bodies.

It was easy to ignore her black eye as he made a small note that she had a light, almost invisible, splash of freckles across her nose. He closed the distance and their lips met once more.

They marveled at the sensation, deepening the kiss as they intertwined the fingers of their hands on the counter. Lara wondered if she really tasted the last cookie he had had or if her mind was just over dramatizing now. Ryuuzaki marveled at her closeness, wondering if everyone felt this mix of incredulousness and sheer bliss when they kissed.

After a few, unbelievable moments, they pulled apart, staring at each other with wonder as they breathed in each other's breath.

They didn't have to say anything as Lara simply pushed herself closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her.

* * *

GAH! You have no idea how much trouble I've had with this chapter. I still have problems with it, but whatEVER. If I try to make it perfect it'll never get uploaded. 

Sorry about the last chapter, and how long it took for them to smooch. I hope it was, um, worth the wait...? (nervous)

Anyways, I loved the reviews from last time. They were so helpful, and I really appreciated them. Thanks to everyone who submitted one!

So please keep 'em coming!  
:D

Oh, and sorry if any language offended anyone. :)

Ah, one more thing: HAPPY SUMMER BREAK! And I am SO done with high school. w00t!!11!


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